


Une Conversation Secrète

by arisanite



Series: The Conversations [5]
Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Honeymoon, Lost-love, Old Friends, Paris (City), Romance, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-02 20:51:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2825726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arisanite/pseuds/arisanite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to “A Stolen Conversation”, the trip to Paris was originally a way to help the once bride-to-be escape her sorrows after a failed engagement, but little do her friends know that Vega is keeping a wonderful little secret only she and Tom share. The title translates to “A Secret Conversation”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. J'ai Laissé Mon Coeur à Paris

**Author's Note:**

> This is the rewritten version of the first "Une Conversation Secrète" that has been taken down months ago. I promise I'll stick with this version.
> 
> I promised a ficlet! Here it is!  
> To everyone who fell in love with the Conversation Series -- this is for you <3

_“Bonjour Paris!”_

_“Oh qu'est-ce que vous avez pour moi?”_

_“S'il vous plaît que ce soit les garçons mignons –“_

_“YOU LITTLE SHITS WILL YOU SPEAK IN ENGLISH I’M TRYING SO HARD TO USE GOOGLE TRANSLATE ON YOUR FUCKING FAST TONGUES –“_

 

 

Vega blinked once or twice, realizing that she could barely stay awake.

You couldn’t blame her after all, since she had been travelling for fifteen hours straight from Melbourne to Heathrow. That’s excluding the flight from London to Paris, and sometimes she even wondered why she even had to take the plane when she could have taken the train. But then she remembered how tired and sleepy she was, and suddenly taking a plane made so much more sense.

But just when she’d escape her crazy relatives who would either talk about their delinquent adult children or their dragonfruit harvesting, Vega found herself in almost the same predicament of dealing with her crazy friends who were being too American in a foreign country as usual. The loud bickering, the drunk singing, with the two British friends who accompanied them who pretended that they weren’t making a commotion at all.

Luckily for them, Fred knew the owner of the Casa de los Stratos where they had dinner, allowing them to occupy the second floor of the quaint little resto-café that had a veranda that overlooked the heart of Paris, showcasing the glittering Eiffel on the horizon.

However, past dinner and dessert, and another round of pudding passed around the table and the overflowing wine; the girls were already too drunk to properly have a formal discussion and their singing and teasing was already too embarrassing to even talk about. Even Fred had to have his hands around his drunk girlfriend who _also_ took advantage of the overflowing Chardonnay on the plane from London to Paris. The knowing smirk on the Scot’s face even possibly indicated that it would reflect on his bill.

But amidst the chaos, the disaster, and the _seemingly unlimited food_ ; they all completely forgot about the one person who hasn’t really truly seen the city with her own eyes, and had wandered out onto the veranda to have a breath of fresh air.

 

Well honestly, there were several more things Vega was trying to clear from her mind.

 

Aside from the fact that she couldn’t sleep at all the night before and was driving as if she was on three bottles of energy drinks on the way to the airport, the adrenaline rush and that _pure unadulterated excitement she has with seeing her friends again_ just slowly began to nip at her reserves of energy.

Not to mention the things that occurred on the plane.

The first fifteen hours was fine. After all, she was travelling on her own and she found herself all set, eating Maltsers three hours into the flight while watching this adorable rom-com about a social media blogger falling in love with one of her anonymous commenters. It didn’t help that it starred Chloe Bennett and Luke Evans. Nor did it help that it hit too close too home…

 

As Vega had a bit of sleep, enough food, and sufficient sanity while she was left all to herself from that flight from Australia to London; it was the opposite once she boarded that flight from London to Paris with _the entire troupe_.

She was awarded the silence and possibility of sleeping after all, since most of the girls tried to steer clear out of her way after her previous long-hour flight; or maybe it was the fact that Max told them all off to be nice to Vega after _everything that happened to her_. It was most likely the latter, considering that Lila actually let the tiny brunette borrow her favorite rabbit plush while she was trying to sleep.

 

And then _there was him_.

 

His mere presence in that group and on that flight was enough reason for Vega not to sleep.

Although he sat demurely in his corner beside his long-time Scottish pal, and politely answered and joked with his female friends surrounding him; Vega didn’t know if it had to do something with the wine or the fact that Tom _passionately snogged her at Heathrow while no one was looking_ , but there was this heat emanating from the man from across the room – _and it was calling out to her_.

He didn’t need to speak for himself whenever he would steal a glance in her direction…

Those blue eyes quietly gazing at her when she thought no one was watching her chomp on the in-flight muffin Max handed her…

Or the way he licked his lips when he silently watched her snuggle into the blankets the Air Stewardess provided her…

You wouldn’t blame Tom at all. He was promised five days and it _was already the sixth_.

In fact, Vega did raise her head midway into the flight while all the girls were settling down and chatting amongst themselves; and found herself staring straight into the man’s gaze when she thought he’d be checking emails on his iPhone or was busy convincing Fred to do something for him during that Paris trip. His glare was so intense that Vega completely understood and wanted to reciprocate his emotional and physical needs as she returned him the same gesture…

But of course, subtly eyefucking each other in the middle of four girls gossiping wouldn’t really remedy the issue.

She didn’t have to say a word, but Vega conveniently eased herself out of her blankets and got up on her feet, unbuttoning the top of her blouse as she did so. It was like a signal, an _invitation_ , and she felt her heart leap the moment she noticed how her so-called _best friend_ gulped the moment he saw her gesture… those blue eyes trailing her as she quietly walked over to the loo compartment.

Giving him one last subtle look that everyone would have noted for flirtation _if they actually paid attention_ , Vega was willing to end Tom’s six days of abstinence the moment she unlocked the door to the comfort room.

But what she saw the moment she opened the door completely made her lose her appetite.

If she only paid attention to the horrified looks the Flight Steward was trying to make in her direction as she approached the loo, she wouldn’t have discovered her female best-friend currently validating her _Mile High Club card with her boyfriend_ , that hot brunette Scot whom she’d been dating for more than six months now.

In the middle of the couple’s wanton moans and positions, Vega quickly closed the door and winced, ignoring the awkward expressions of the flight attendants who have been paid £50 and failed to do that _one job_ they were asked to do.

Even the image of Tom palming his face a few seats away was just priceless.

 

 

Almost three hours later and Vega still shuddered with the memory of her best-friend straddling that well-hung Scottish man.

She didn’t even want to confirm if what he was well-hung or not.

 

 

Taking a deep breath and trying not to let vodka win over her sanity, the girl closed her eyes and let the night breeze wash over her face, reminding her to relax and enjoy what was about to come.

After all it was a wonderful night, she has been well-fed, she finally is where she wants to be, and her heart has never felt so full before.

And for Christ’s sakes, she’s in _Paris_ for the first time.

 

 

 _Paris._  

 

 

It was everything she ever dreamed of – it was romantic, it was magical, and it took her breath away.

Of course most of it were just mere descriptions from the films and how Mari, Lila, and Lis described it during their first time in the city; but this time Vega was exhilarated to experience everything on her own.

It was the city of love, where rain would fall and people would dance on the streets. Just the aroma of bread in the morning makes her want to dash through the bakeries, wanting to taste everything she could smell or see.

All the wines she could taste…

All the museums she would visit…

All the landmarks she would see…

And all the people she could meet…

 

 

And yet, despite the glory and beauty of the city, something seems to be missing.

 

 

Vega stretched her arms as she breathed in the cold city air, the smells of the nearby establishments that served and specialized in food wafting up her nose. The lights were dancing in her eyes and she couldn’t help but tether towards the end of the veranda, folding her arms along the steel bars that barricaded the edge, allowing her to lean forward and get a better glimpse of that famed tower that stood about a hundred miles from where she was currently positioned.

And there the landmark stood – the heart of Paris.

The woman felt her heart leap upon seeing it at her current vantage point.

It felt like a fairytale. It was like that scene in the animated feature “Anastasia” when they were all dancing in the streets, singing “Paris Holds The Key To Your Heart”. Paris seemed to hold the key to all her problems, heal her bitterness about life and everything that happened... make her completely believe in love again.

All of a sudden, Vega found herself looking at her own outfit, realizing that she threw on whatever she first pulled out of her wardrobe the moment she was about to leave Melbourne, too excited to even bother. But as she gazed upon her silk-surfaced button-up blouse underneath a layered denim jacket, topped off with a pair of old travelling jeans, the woman couldn’t help but wish she had something more appropriate for the romantic mood of the city as she gazed up at the shining tower. Suddenly she found herself wishing she would be in a beautiful cotton dress with a beautiful dainty collar with the skirt bellowing past her legs – after all she felt herself sinking and melding with the beautiful view of the city...

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

For a moment she even began imagining the _Eureka Tower again –_

 

 

“ _Ehem_.”

 

 

Vega immediately snapped out of her daydreams only to find herself clutching the steel bannister of the Casa de los Stratos 2nd floor veranda, realizing that she’s not alone. Worriedly turning around and looking behind her, wondering if she wasn’t allowed to be there, or she wasn’t supposed to be loitering out of the conference-room-turned-dining-area, or there was some deviant watching her all the time in the dark...

Her eyes fell upon this small wooden bench surrounded by some of the beautiful plants and orchids that littered the veranda, where a tall and slender man sat, pretending he wasn’t ogling her the entire time as he drew his leather jacket around his shoulders. Of course the damned bastard had to be cold, after all he was just wearing that overused threadbare shirt of his.

The woman who barely stood beyond 5’3” staggered backward, only to frown and clutch at her chest, pursing her lips as she looked away, blushing.

 

“Mother of Christ, you scared me –“

 

What she barely noticed was that definite rouge that was forming on his cheeks too. But both of them were grateful for the dark and the dim garden lights the littered the veranda, hiding the expressions that would have given away their faces – even if it was clear between the two what their feelings really are.

Trying to ignore the way Tom was shyly chuckling to himself, suddenly being rendered shy and bashful despite his outgoing and flirty personality in public; Vega found herself wondering whether the man also had too much to drink like the rest of their friends or was sleepy and exhausted like her as well that he had to step out of the ruckus and have some peace and quiet as well...

“What –“ she initially croaked before clearing her throat. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be inside, sampling that expensive Versailles wine Fred had been boasting about –“

The way Tom tilted his head, raised his eyebrow and bit his lip caused Vega to clutch the bannister behind her even harder, making her wonder how _tired and exhausted_ she was that she still hasn’t _jumped the man_ whom she had been dying _to hold ever since she stepped on that plane from Australia to London_.

But there was something about that exact moment, that magical feeling over being giddy upon arriving in Paris, that romantic air that has been telling her to _hold back and wait_... and just let the magic happen. There was something in the air and the night sky that toned down her impatience to be reunited with her beloved best-friend who has now become something more the past week, something that is helping her wait despite the fact that it only strengthened her love and thirst for him...

And she knew that he also felt the same way with how his eyes sparkled in the moonlight at that exact moment...

“I did tell you before,” Tom’s voice was soft yet firm, and yet it flowed like honey off his tongue. For some goddamned reason, whether it was her yearning for him or the effect Paris has on her, his voice seemed to lure her closer to him like a moth to a flame. “A long, long time ago – if Freddie gets me to drink one more glass of wine, he will end up trying to drag me into a Burlesque bar or something...”

Vega felt like giggling upon remembering that one night after the videoke when Tom’s dialogue sounded _exactly like this_. She could remember the mischief, the exasperation in his voice, and the hidden chuckle he seemed to hide that night they tried to get a drunk Scotsman to his bed.

But there was something different about her English _best friend_ this time around.

There was a sparkle in his eye, an air of longing that wasn’t that strong the first time around, and this dreary pause that was now too painful for her to bear, as she wished he could talk on and on and on... And clearly Vega realizes that she wasn’t this coy, clueless, and awkward girl who didn’t know how to act around him like before.

“And you know I’m not interested in any of that anymore...” Tom added as he ran his hands on his knees, a trait he often displays when a bit nervous about a situation. But the moment he raised his eyes and bit his lip, Vega didn’t really have to wonder or ask herself what he was being anxious about.

At this point she should be able to read the man like a book.

But the next words he sputtered out pretty much took her by surprise.

 

“Also, I was waiting for you.”

 

Four months ago, Vega would have turned into ice upon hearing those words. To be honest, she didn’t need to be surprised with such words escaping his lips anymore after _everything that happened_. The man’s feelings were an open book to her, though she need not confirm that with her friends like before – and she was sure that they had speculations too. But with the situations, the unfortunate circumstances, and the respective stubbornness of the parties involved; no one was sure about who felt what and who really wanted who...

But Vega knew.

This time around, she knew.

And Vega knew exactly what Tom wanted.

At this point in time, despite everything still clouded around the two of them, the eye of the storm is upon them and it is clear. Vega is obviously privy to his feelings and intentions, and she is clearly accepting of them this time around. In fact, the woman is more than accepting of his emotions and intentions... she is actually willing to return them to him ten-fold.

As she should have in the first place.

And this simple forward discussion that slipped his lips is something Vega now cherishes, and yet despite the circumstances and her expectations... every admonition from his mouth still manages to take her by surprise. Yet this time around, Vega isn’t acting like a clueless codfish who is ready to deny and detest everything he had to say, especially if it had to do something with his affections.

“Really now,” there was now a hint of flirtation in her voice as she stepped away from the bannister, moving closer to him. And in response to her playful tone, Tom found himself patting the seat on the bend beside him, more than eager to have her warmth next to him as he had been craving it for the past five days.

“You really were...” Vega bit her lips as she moved closer to him, the night air and the ambience of the exterior of the restaurant causing her to feel warm and giddy that one night she was supposed to be exhausted. “Waiting for me?”

The man smiled as he looked down, completely delighted with her response. This was a whole new Vega he was talking to, the Vega he had always been waiting for to crawl out of her shell. He dared to look up at her only to find his heart melting with the way she bravely looked at him, those brown eyes now unable to hide a fire that mirrors his, as he can feel through her movements (and though not through her words as he had always believed – Vega’s actions are stronger than her words) how much she is delighted to be with him once more. And with her forwardness and her boldness to approach him this way, Tom felt his heart leap, suddenly excited of the road that is paved before them.

And it is new road that he’d been dreaming off for more than two years now.

The man sighed happily, and he didn’t even notice it.

“I know you’ve been itching to get a better glimpse of Eiffel ever since we landed,” he said with composure as he watched her take a seat next to him, leaving enough space between the two of them. However, she placed her hand on the wooden oak surface of the bench, her fingers only a short distance away from his outstretched ones. “I heard you ask the Flight Attendant a thousand times if we could see it from the plane. I just knew you wouldn’t be able to resist it once the waitress boasted about the view from the second-floor veranda.”

 _So he was listening. Of course he was listening._ A soft chuckle escaped Vega upon realizing this, as she looked back at the now dim tower. There were faint lights surrounding it, still making its silhouette glow despite the appearance of the prominent lights at least every hour. It was beautiful, and she had always heard from everyone how beautiful it was.

What she didn’t expect was for it to take her breath away.

She was so moved by it that seeing it just froze her on the spot. This was the first time she has seen it close, and they haven’t even gone to the base yet. They would probably in a few days, and the girls insisted that she better visit the tower at least once during her first trip to Paris. In fact, when her relatives found out that she was going to the Capital of France, the Eiffel was the first thing everyone kept talking about. Well of course her well-travelled American cousins kept on mentioning the classy cafés and restaurants, also telling her to give the macarons at Ladurée – but of course Vega forgot all about that once she saw the Eiffel.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Of course the girl who was so much into architecture and the arts, who wanted to know about every style and every history behind every single arch and flying buttress had to fall in love with the landmark Paris is known about. Vega was a little bit ashamed that maybe she asked the stewardess too much about the possible vantage points of the tower from the plane and it wasn’t much compared to seeing it on foot...

But between being too excited about seeing the tower and the fact that she and the girls need to get some sleep (especially her most of all), a little peek or a preview at the veranda of the Casa de los Stratos would suffice for poor Vega who had been itching to go around the city and look at the places she’d been dying to go to ever since she realized that her 13th month pay would be enough for two trips to Europe and back.

The girl was in the middle of dreamily looking at the tower when that silky voice beside her uttered in that perfect English accent and said, “ _She_ is.”

Clamping her parted lips closed, Vega found herself making an amused yet bashful face as she turned to look at the man whose blue eyes had been intensely just watching her, gazing at her, as she looked like a love struck teenager gazing at the tower in the distance.

There was a tint of guilt that colored her face once again, until she realized why on earth she was feeling so giddy and air-headed about Paris. Yes, the location had so much to contribute, after all it is her first time. It is also one of the romantic cities on the planet, most wouldn’t be surprised if the ambience would actually find romantics a love or a feverish fling whose kisses would last with them for summers to come.

But as she sat there, her hands almost touching his, Vega slowly realized that here sits a man who is the sole reason for all the butterflies that had been making a ruckus in her stomach ever since her plane landed in Heathrow Airport. It took her almost two years to realize how much she loved him, and she almost lost him at one point... even probably almost lost him _twice_.

But as he sat there, smiled, and gazed with her without fear or shyness; Vega found herself chastising her heart once again for doing what it does on autopilot – _deflecting_.

Oh in the glory and beauty that is Paris, and she’s there being love struck at a tower – when clearly what she is feeling is all because of the man whom she just affirmed her love to (and got his love back in return), and he was just sitting inches away from her.

Licking her lips as she blinked and took in that deep gaze Tom was giving her without even blinking, Vega found herself straightening her back as she bravely tried to point out the truth of his statement –

“ _She –_ “ Vega found herself talking a deep breath as she didn’t notice how her pulse quickened as Tom finally blinked – as he moved closer in one smooth movement, towards her. “Y-You’re not looking at the tower –“

A gasp escaped Vega’s lips upon finding his face now only inches from hers.

“Thain –“

She felt his thumb brush up against her cheek, causing her eyes to flutter.

Another wave of heat emanated from the depths of her stomach, causing her to actually grab his hand that was settled on the wooden surface of the bench. Tom did not stir or reply to her sudden touch, but he opened his mouth and sighed, tilting his head in preparation of that kiss that he had been planning as a follow-up since he stole one in Heathrow almost six hours ago –

 

  
“ ** _SHRIMP, WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GO –_** “

 

 

Vega already had her eyes closed, ready for anything, when they suddenly shot open upon hearing that familiar rough New York drawl that suddenly filled the night-air of the veranda.

For some goddamned reason, she felt time freeze when Tom’s face suddenly disappeared in front of hers and she felt something hard yet soft flop onto the surface of her thighs.

Vega has discovered that Tom had quickly ducked, causing his head to fall on her lap, making it look as if she was sitting on the bench alone, and there was no one else. The girl however felt her eyes widen as she mechanically turned her head to look at a tipsy-looking Max who peeked into the supposedly empty veranda, seemingly looking for someone.

“There you are –“ Max said with a bit of a sway as Vega found herself putting an elbow up on the back of the bench, balancing her head on her open hand, pretending to be sarcastically ignoring the _hic_ that accompanied her drunk friend’s dialogue as she appeared to be stargazing in the veranda. Alone. “For a moment I thought I heard you talking to someone...”

“I was talking to myself,” Vega quickly spoke, silently congratulating herself for that save that literally came out of her mouth. She felt something smile against her lap, and she had to jerk a knee to stop Tom from laughing against her thigh as she felt him quietly shift his head to brush his nose against the fabric of her shirt... causing her to shiver. “I thought I wanted some fresh air after eating all that Roquefort Cheese for dinner...”

She swore she felt someone _giggle_ against her stomach.

She looked down and felt her body weaken, having found the man curled up on the majority of the bench, bending his knees and letting them dangle on the edge just so the drunk Maxine won’t notice that he’s sittng on the minimally-styled wooden bench. Lucky for him, it was covered with several old bricks and potted plants to help with the ambience of the second-floor open air veranda, no one would have noticed the tall man trying to hide himself in a fetal position by putting his head on the seated woman’s lap at all.

Despite Tom’s own _save_ of the situation, Vega swore she was sweating tons the moment Max walked into the open area without even a warning.  She didn’t understand why they both had to hide it and Vega couldn’t act anything but surprised when Tom almost had to dive right into her lap. She’s half-relieved that she didn’t have to explain anything to her drunk friend who was already swaying on her two clumsy feet, but half of her is kind of wondering why she had to need to _hide this_...

Much to her surprise, Max’s head seems to be up in the high alcoholic clouds made of vodka vapor to even notice what could be going on in the veranda. All she could see is one lone Vega, acting cool and collected with her head balanced on her hand, looking over her shoulder as she sat on the bench.

“Well,” _Hic_ was definitely included in that unfinished sentence. “Don’t disappear again on your own, Veggie-pie. We’re all too fucking wankered to even look for you tonight, and Paris is a big city...”

The girl in question slowly turned her head to glare at Max suspiciously as she had to put her unseen hand down on the face of the man who is trying too hard not to burst out laughing as he lay on her lap.

“Unless,” The brunette latina licked her lips. “You’ve got a secret boyfriend of some sorts that you’re not telling us...”

Vega found her jaw dropping as she felt Tom unable to hide a snort, shoving his face right into her blouse as he silently twisted his body to face her, just to muffle himself from laughing.

“For Christ’s sakes, Maxine,” she burst out in a suspiciously violent manner that would have given herself away if only Max was paying attention. Clearly it was due to the fact that her thighs started to quiver with how Tom huffed and smothered his giggles against her stomach. “I just got out of a relationship three months ago, do you think I’ll find someone right away?”

She felt the man hiding against her body stiffen up, as she swore she felt him raise his eyebrow.

Even Vega had to retract everything she has said, suddenly turning her head subtly to look down on those wide-puppy dog eyes that seemed to have a question in them as they peered up at her.

Despite her reasons, she remembered that things don’t really have to be that way. If it happened that she didn’t have some sort of an affair with _someone_ that eve when she found out her fiancé was cheating on her, maybe things would be exactly like what she said. Maybe if she didn’t have a best-friend who was pining after her for the past twelve years, she would have been single and probably not in the mood for a new relationship after being painfully tricked to believe that the man she was about to marry loved her. She would have probably stayed back in Melbourne, sulking in her old flat, swearing men off for good.

But that wasn’t the case.

And _something_ did happen in London that she wasn’t really telling the girls about.

“Max –“ For a moment, Vega was massaging the bridge of her nose, wondering if she’d actually talk about the truth between her and the man who was hiding behind the back of the bench. “It’s complicated –“

She suddenly was surprised when the woman suddenly raised her hand, trying to shut her up. Much to Vega’s surprise, Maxine had to retract her raised hand to cover her mouth that once more produced a comical hiccup.

“I understand completely that you may want to be alone for a while –“

 _Hic_.

“And that you’re not up for a little romantic a-go-go –“

Vega found herself wincing upon hearing the _hic_.

“But someone may beg to differ,” _Hic._ “But of course, you probably don’t want to talk about that –“

Vega had to cover her face with her free hand this time, as her hidden hand gently ran over the tuft of curls that were on her lap. The smile also has returned on Tom’s face.

“What the hell are you even talking about –“ The words escaped Vega’s lips, as she tried to hide a smile.

To her surprise, Max initially said nothing.

Raising her head, Vega found the Latina wearing a sly smile despite the drunken gaze, grinning at her as if _she knows something_ _she doesn’t know yet._ Or at least something she was sort of trying to hide.

 

“ _En amour comme á la guerre, tous les coups sont permis..._ ”

 

Vega dropped her jaw as she wasn’t able to see how Tom reacted at all, the man raising his eyebrows upon hearing what Maxine had to say. He even mouthed the words after they have been said, before some sort of a realization dawned on him, causing him to smile once more and close his eyes upon understanding what it meant. But Vega, clearly had no idea.

“What are you –“

The other taller brunette just swiped her hand across her shoulder and flipped her hair, snootily gesturing to her clueless-looking Asian friend. “All is fair in love and war, Veggie-pie. You know _exactly_ what I’m mean. But you better shape up. It’s a whole new world now. One you’re still very familiar with.”

At this point, the Asian brunette is tired of the cryptic messages. It was almost 9pm and she was needing sleep.

“I didn’t even know you spoke French you ass-butt..." she retorted initially, calling out after the girl who just wrinkled her nose at her, before turning around. “You’re still not making any sense –“

 

Max had already turned around and had her hand up in the air, waving.

 

Vega found herself watching her walk away, before she had to turn around and sigh, covering her face with both her hands. She felt Tom stir, as he slowly began to push himself up, those blue eyes peering over the edge of the back of the wooden bench, trying to check if the coast was clear.

When all of a sudden, Vega had to grab his head and push it down on her lap again.

 

“BY THE WAY –“ Max surged back through the two wide wooden doors of the veranda filled with glass windows, as if she was trying to catch Vega in the act _of doing something_. Tom found himself squirming a bit against Vega’s hold, considering that she may have had his nose hit her knee or something, but it was the woman who found herself widening her eyes and subtly stomping her toes when the man _nuzzled the space in between her legs_. “HAVE YOU SEEN THAT SKYSCRAPER LOKI?”

Vega swore she was sweating cold.

“No idea,” she said through gritted teeth, as the man in question giggled quietly against her thigh. “Why are you even asking me –“ Vega had to bite her lip and thrust her fingers in the man’s curly blonde hair when she felt the tip of his lips brush against the fabric of her blouse, almost tempting her to slap his cheek just to have him stay still.

“I thought you’d _care_ ,” Max shot back, a _hic_ still included in the sentence. “Nevermind,” she dismissed Vega’s accusatory and shocked-tainted glare. “I’ll just ask his best friend... At least my boyfriend actually gives a damn –“

The other brunette was tempted to get up from her seat and harp back at Max about _not caring_ , but just as she spun her head around to shout at the woman who was already waltzing away with a drunken bounce on her step; Vega felt her voice frog up her throat when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist, shutting her up.

Remembering that Tom was still pretending to be not there, despite making his presence clear with how he clung to her waist; they both sat there in silence and ensuring that the woman wouldn’t return to the empty and quiet veranda, and that the voices in the 2nd floor eventually died down.

 

Eventually, the coast was clear.

 

Still listening to her breathing, coupled with the man’s own in the stillness of the night; just when they were sure that the veranda door wouldn’t open again – Vega found herself slump back against the wooden bench, letting out a loud sigh.

But just when she was about to open her eyes – the man quickly moved and sat up.

Vega swore she felt something flicker in the distance, and she quickly opened her eyes to find the most spectacular view she could ever see –

 

 

The Eiffel was flickering with lights.

                                                          

 

For one shining moment, Vega forgot about the ruckus that had been going on, all the pain and the weariness she was experiencing, or even the fact that she just thought about how much sanity she would lose for somewhat trying to hide _this tiny little thing she has with Tom from the rest of her friends…_

She just stared at the bright tower and its twinkling lights in the distance.

Lips parted, she looked at the spectacle in complete awe, completely forgetting how her seatmate straightened up and looked back at her with the same reverence; those blue eyes sparkling in the darkness, looking as if he saw something brighter and more beautiful than the tower itself.

“Oh my God…” Vega mumbled underneath her breath, the magic of Paris taking her away from where she sat, as she felt her eyes tearing up.

With everything that happened that year – her failed engagement, her heart somewhat broken twice (and partially mended in the process), and the whole emotional rollercoaster ride she had been through; suddenly, all of her pain was taken away from her as she sat in this small second-floor veranda in Paris.

She started to believe in happiness again just when she thought a few weeks ago that she’d never be happy again.

Little does she realize that it wasn’t really the tower that was giving her the happiness and giddiness she was feeling at that exact moment.

He was sitting right beside her.

 

“I told you she was beautiful,” said that deep voice beside her, as Vega found herself blinking when she felt a pair of fingers slipping underneath her chin, turning her head in his direction. “More beautiful than anything else I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.”

 

Only then Vega realized that maybe those blue eyes are more beautiful than seven thousand pounds of steel.

It was a moment frozen in time.

Of course time would freeze when a man kisses you after you’ve seen Eiffel sparkle for the first time.

It was more magical than that first awkward yet passionate kiss she shared with him in his flat. And yet it was more fiery than that snog she gave him in her room in that old flat when she was still dressed in her old and now-abandoned wedding gown…

But Vega started to notice how the hunger had started to kick in when she clamped her hands on the surface of his leather jacket and began to pull him close. Not to mention how he parted his lips and shifted from gently smothering her lips with his, to actually devouring her face with how he tangled his fingers in her hair, eating up her mouth.

It was then when she realized what hunger truly meant… and after six days.

And at that moment, she didn’t even care if the entire Paris entourage of their friends walked through the door of the veranda and saw their faces attached to each other. It didn’t matter at that moment.

Thomas released her face with a loud yet gentle smack, with her senses emerging from an overwhelming din as she slowly snapped back into reality; realizing that she’s still there, sitting on an old bench, in the heart of France.

But then she found herself peering at those blue bedroom-eyes again, still wide and inflamed with such passionate hunger – a hunger she promised to satiate when she bid him farewell almost a week ago in that airport in Melbourne.

“So beautiful,” Tom still spoke as if he was in a trance, those eyes unblinking as he stroked the apple of her cheek. “I just wish she didn’t have to hide our love…”

Vega swore she felt something in her crash.

She didn’t know if it was her conscience, she didn’t know if it was the words Tom just said. But half of her wanted to blame him as well – he _was hiding too_. He was the one who diverted that passionate moment they shared in Heathrow while the rest of the girls were distracted with the sweets cart. He was the one who took a swan dive right into her lap when Max almost caught then alone – and almost snogging – in that same veranda they were in. Vega really was prepared (although, for some reason, it felt like ice cold water being sloshed down her back whenever she thought about it) for the girls to find out about their _little arrangement_ that was slowly coming to fruition; even though she is a bit jittery about it.

For Tom, she was already preparing herself to risk treading outside her comfort zone. She just doesn’t understand why he seemed to be taking the shots and jumping the gun for her…

But when she saw a small mischievous smile form on the side of the man’s face, she couldn’t help but think that maybe this whole “hiding” thing might just be a joke. Or maybe she just imagined the whole pain attached to the end of the sentence, and maybe Thain was messing with her again. After everything that happened in Melbourne, and the way he stole caresses and kisses during the entire trip from London to Paris… there is no way he’d be playing with her feelings.

After everything that happened.

But then again she is reminded of all the pain she has caused him before the jackpot prize, and the fear she always had that maybe he’d let her taste her own medicine…

 

“Really…” Those were the words that escaped her lips as she dared to raise an eyebrow at the man who seemed to be both undressing and caressing her with his eyes. “Really Tom? After everything we’ve been through?”

 

There was something in the way she said it, and there was something about how Eiffel flickered brightly before all its glittering lights went out, remaining still and dark except for its inner beams. However, drowning in her eyes, Tom couldn’t help but part his lips upon hearing her words and anticipating what she was about to say.

 

“ _How can I hide?_ ”

 

A thousand questions swarmed in his mind, so many things filled the gaps of his thoughts, like why she still seems to be nervous, how he would be able to help her, how he could make her feel comfortable, and how he could help her slowly ease the news in to their friends as he wanted to scream to the world how she was now his… But there was only one question that was ringing in his head: _How can I love you more?_

He felt his mind blank out as it was Vega’s turn to run her thumb against his sharp cheekbones, before pulling his face close against hers once more, enveloping his mouth in a kiss of her own.

He lay tangled in her arms and lost in the movements of her mouth for a few more minutes that seemed to last like an eternity, before the woman found herself hesitantly disengaging from the act of affection, getting up awkwardly on her foot as she left the bench. But she didn’t move away from him till he had opened his eyes, and she had made a few more strokes in his curls with her fingers, running her hand down on the slope of his broad shoulder. The woman then retained her composure as she walked back into the 2nd Floor Conference Room of the restaurant to mingle with her friends, still seemingly in a trance.

Tom was then left with the sound of his heart pounding, his blood rushing, and his head spinning as he found himself staring blissfully at the distant silhouette of Eiffel against the soft lights that surrounded it.

 


	2. A Room with a View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> About to retire for the night, the Mercenaries gather upon the chance of booking a beautiful room in their 5-star hotel that overlooks the Eiffel Tower. Who would become the lucky winner of that suite?

It was almost midnight and Vega swore she was going to sleep on the road if she passes out on the spot. It has been almost twenty-four hours since she woke up and any minute now her body battery is about to fail. But she’s in Paris anyway; what’s the worst that could happen?

Takeaway wine.

Luckily for her, the Plaza Hotel le Montmartre is only a few blocks away from the Casa de los Stratos. With the girls who seemed to be fresher than seven o’ clock in the morning and fuelled by the current tank of alcohol they had in the tapas place; they refused the boys’ VIP treatment and decided to lug around their luggage by themselves. And since most of them weren’t really travelling light (save for the London Locals Max and Mari, with the exception of the girl who flew from Australia), they filled the two blocks distance with the sound of stroller bags clacking. Also, the sound of boisterous laughter.

Vega followed closely behind the rowdy group, head almost lolling that she has to bite the inside of her cheek just to wake up. These were one of those moments where she exhaustively cussed at herself for even taking that last minute trip to Paris when clearly she’d be travelling all day from Melbourne. Half of her regretted not going straight to her apartment and fluffing those pillows before falling into a well-deserved deep sleep...

But then she would realize later on how much she would have had hated herself if she chose that other path. And there was _no way_ in hell that she’d go in that direction _after what happened the last week._

By the time they have reached the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, the girl wanted to collapse onto one of the luxurious wide-set couches in hopes of stealing just a wink of sleep. However, her plans were ultimately ruined the moment the concierge was quickly alerted by their arrival.

Why would the concierge personally turn up to greet a bunch of rowdy Americans?

Let’s just say that it is because they were accompanied by two British VIPs.

Two _very attractive_ British VIPs with one of them actually possessing Hollywood credentials.

“ _Monsieur McAllister, I presume?_ ” the straight-laced looking man who was probably in his late thirties spoke to the taller chap in French. “ _I am Monsieur Clemonte, the Concierge of the Plaza Hotel. I was informed of your arrival and I personally came to see that you are well settled.”_

Upon approaching him, the scot quickly shot him that smile that was laced with those two dimples decorating either side of his mouth. “ _Oui, oui_ … _Merci!_ ” Fred spoke fluently in French as well, causing an olive-skinned girl in their group to tipsily look in the direction of the tall, beefy man. “ _I suspect the rooms are ready?_ ”

Pulling on his own designer tie, the lean man whose interests aside from hotel management was working out in the gym and a personal day in the spa, Monsieur Clemonte grinned pleasantly and took the towering brunette aside.

“ _Well there has been a little problem with the reservations –_ “

Ignoring the man’s worried look, Frederick quickly turned around and motioned to his blond friend who seemed to be busy standing near a marble post, hands in his pockets, trying to be obscure as he quietly watched the girls drunkenly chatting with each other on the expensive gold-laden couches with one of them struggling to stay awake…

“ _Oh my God,_ ” Monsieur Clemonte gasped, almost losing his poise the moment the blond man approached the two of them. “ _You must be Monsieur Hiddleston –_ “

Politely extending his hand with one firm smile, Tom looked from the French man to his friend and quietly and coolly exclaimed in perfect French, “ _Ce qui semble être le problème?_ ”

“There seems to be a problem with the rooms, mate –“ Fred quickly switched to his English.

“Oh that shouldn’t be a problem since I already reserved mine –“ Tom answered.

“ _Messeiurs,_ ” The concierge quickly piped up, his voice getting a bit squeaky. With both of the towering men redirecting their attention to his direction, the concierge suddenly felt as if the spotlight was focused on him. It was late, it was probably already twelve, and it was quite sure that both Tom, Fred, and the girls were weary – despite their surge of energy in the hotel lobby. And the exhaustion was showing on the two older men’s faces.

Gulping, he started speaking again. “ _There is a very slight problem, but it can easily be solved. We were able to book all of your reservations— including your special request, Monsieur Hiddleston, but unfortunately one of your rooms cannot be secured Monsieur McAllister_.”

The brunette looked as if he was about to let loose his true personality of heavily and wearily complaining – true to his Scottish nature.

“ _But –_ “ Monsieur Clemonte quickly and coolly continued. “ _We were able to find an opening in our Aube Suite. However, it will cost you a little bit extra._ ”

Taking a deep breath, it looked as if Fred was about to lose his cool, but then a realization appeared on his face and a glint of brilliance could be seen in his eye.

Tom on the other hand crossed his arms, but turned to look mischievously at his friend with a shadow of a smile appearing on his thin lips.

“ _Is it booked?_ ” Fred asked.

Monsieur Clemonte shook his head. “ _As you requested, all rooms have been reserved under your name – but no claimants from your group has been made yet. As for the Aube Suite overlooking the Eiffel, we can reserve it on the spot for you._ ”

Fred rubbed his hands together.

“ _Good!_ ” he cried out excitedly. “ _I’ll get it._ ”

The smile disappeared on Tom’s face.

“ _Excellent!_ ” The concierge exclaimed, bringing his hands together. “ _We’ll have it booked for you right away and if you please_ ,” He took out a clipboard with a chart on it, along with room numbers listed on the far right. _“Do distribute these to your fellow guests that you will be coming with you for your stay and have them fill in their names so that the management can contact them personally when they arrive in their rooms_.”

“ _This would be perfect_ ,” Fred said firmly, quickly getting a hold of himself as he took the form and absent-mindedly handed it to his blond friend who was now looking at him with his jaw unhinged as if he was trying to tell the Scot something. _“Merci beaucoup!_ ”

Fred was about to walk back to the girls with a giant smile on his face when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

“You aren’t seriously taking that room for yourself, aren’t you Frederick?”

The Scot turned to his actor friend and grinned mischievously. “Of course!” he murmured with a smug smile. “They did say that it overlooked the Eiffel –“

 

“ _You what?!!_ ”

 

Fred quickly turned around to find Max glaring at him with one eyebrow raised, as the rest of the group turned to look at him with wide eyes signaling that they probably weren’t going to collapse until three in the morning. And apparently, they might have overheard everything.

“I – Well –“

“Told you they will want to get involved,” Tom said as-a-matter-of-factly as he put the clipboard under his arm and moved out of Max’s deathly scope.

“There is a ROOM overlooking the EIFFEL and you want it all for YOURSELF –“ Next thing Frederick knew, he was being chased around with a purse and it was repeatedly hitting his arm. Of course this wasn’t really Max being angry at Fred for being selfish about the room, but like _someone we know_ , this is how Maxine _kind of heats things up between her and her Scottish boyfriend_. “YOU FOUL, SELFISH –“

“I was trying to get it for us dear –“

“LIES AND MERDE –“

Ignoring the couple that was making a racket around midnight in the Plaza Hotel le Montmartre Lobby, Mari looked at Lila excitedly after getting that suggestive look Tom has been shooting the girls; though he was just quietly standing near the circle of couches, seemingly watching chaos ( _or magic to his eyes_ ) unfold at midnight.

“So there’s an extra room –“

“And it’s a SUITE –“

“AND IT GIVES YOU A FULL VIEW OF THE EIFFEL –“

Sam heaves out a sigh and leans against her boyfriend, throwing her hands up in the air. “But everyone wants that!”

Some of the girls exchanged glances.

“But that’s just easy to deal with,” the married brunette exclaimed, running a hand through her beautiful long brown tresses. “How about we just toss coin for it? Winner takes all –“ Mari then giggles. “I mean the suite.”

“Another Mercenary brawl?!”

“But we’re sorta drunk –“

“And that makes it more fun!”

“You guys better think of a challenge that we can do _right here_ , with all of us _wasted_ , and that wouldn’t catch too much _trouble –_ “

“Guys,” Lis yawned. “Don’t make this one challenge too rowdy, I think I’m running on a low batt –“

“That’s what you get Lisbeth for asking for more Bacardi –“

“Seriously guys,” said Mari, pulling out a quarter from her bag. “Just one simple toss coin! Simple elimination route! Someone gets tails, someone gets head – loser side gets eliminated!”

Lila groaned, cradling a bottle of Bacardi in between her legs. “But that’s gonna take so loooooooooong –“

Vega swore she snapped out of her sleepy stupor when she heard Max groan behind her, as she slowly began to get a grip of the situation as she came face to face with six excited women chattering, one Latina still huffing at her exasperated-looking boyfriend, and two grown men watching the entire scene with much enthusiasm.

Blinking furiously in an attempt to wake herself up, the Asian girl started sleepily muttering, “What’s – Wh-what’s going on –“

Before she could say anything, the little brunette girl swore she was shaken into existence as her rowdy female best friend pushed the yawning Lisbeth aside and started shaking her like an over-abused Etch-A-Sketch.

 

“ ** _VEGGIE-PIE!!!_** ” Max almost spit in the sleepy girl’s face.

 

“What –“

“ ** _YOU’VE GOT TO –_** “

“JFC MAX –“

“ ** _YOU’VE GOT TO FUCKING –_** “

“MAX –“

“ ** _YOU’VE GOT TO FUCKING WIN THAT ROOM_** ”

“But wh –“

“ ** _I WANT TO TEACH THAT SCOTTISH ASS A LESSON ON SHARING –_** “

“Max, you’re on this again –“

“ ** _WE’RE GONNA FUCKING WIN THAT ROOM AND –_** “

“Max, this isn’t gonna work”

“ ** _WERE GONNA MAKE OUR BED –_** “

 

In the middle of the girls already going about passing around Mari’s quarter and trying to get “heads” in order to win, Max was busy persuading her best-friend in a drunkenly violent manner to help “steal” the room for her (with the belief that once single, Vega is actually a “ _lucky charm”_ ) just so she can spite her boyfriend. They barely notice one really drunk and really confused Scot standing in between all the ruckus, and his English friend trying to get past the disaster in order to tear his drunk female friend from his “best friend” –

Then all of a sudden Monsieur Clemonte stepped in the middle of the fracas parade, clearing his throat.

“ _I’m sorry to interrupt your activities_ ,” he said in English with his thick accent, raising his eyebrows as he looked around the frozen scene of chaos. “ _But which one of you is  –_ “ The man squinted his eyebrows on the piece of paper he was reading from before speaking out. “ _Madamoiselle Vega?_ ”

The tipsy woman had to stop shaking the smaller fair-skinned girl who raised a shaking hand.

“Th-that would be me,” A small sleepy voice escaped her.

Smiling professionally, albeit barely hiding the shock behind his expression, the uniformed man happily greeted her with the usual spiel. “ _Bienvenue à Paris! I have been informed that you have already been booked in a separate room. Please follow me to the Aube Suite in the 20 th floor –“_

Audible gasps filled the lobby that was occupied by very few personnel, a few quiet guests… and of course, the tipsy American Girls.

“Wait –“

“But I thought –“

“Isn’t it the Aube Suite –“

“We’re still deciding –“

The confused concierge who was already leading the small girl out of the ruckus and towards the elevators turned to look at a surprised-looking Scott who subtly exchanged glances with his supposedly English counterpart who tried his best not to react to the situation.

“I’m sorry –“ Fred was the one whose voice managed to stand out from the rest. “I thought the Aube Suite wasn’t booked yet –“

A realization appeared on the concierge’s face as Vega looked on, looking clueless (and sleepy) as ever. “ _Oh!_ ” He said in relief, looking around the group who were passing around an old coin. “ _You see Monsieur, every floor starting from the 15 th has its own Aube Suite. The one booked to your name is on the 19th._”

A loud resounding “ _Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh_ ” was echoed from most of the girls, including Frederick.

Vega found herself dropping her jaw as she was forgotten in the entire ruckus, as she turned to look at the one person who wasn’t surprised with the turn of events at all – and he was sitting on the arm of the sofa where a perplexed Alex was looking on with Lis already knocked out beside him.

Nobody even noticed that small firm smile that formed on Tom’s lips as he never took his eyes from Vega’s surprised stare.

“ _Madam,_ ” It was Monsieur Clemonte who managed to snap Vega out of her non-plussed gaze as he tapped her on the shoulder. “ _Shall we go up to your room?_ ”

Apologizing profusely to the man, the duo moved away from the lobby and towards the reception desk, eventually leading to the elevators as the girls continued on their quest to find out the winner of that coveted suite.

However, despite the girls using up their energy and filling up the lobby with chatter, there was one person on their group who remained silent, with his eyes still set on that sleepy girl who was about to enter the elevator, nonchalantly chatting with the concierge.

Seemingly in a trance and trapped in deep thought, he barely noticed a silver coin flying his way, hitting him square on the cheek.

“ ** _FOR GOD’S SAKES, HIDDLESTON,_** ” Then came the rough Scottish whining accent that snapped Tom back to reality. “ ** _CAN YOU FUCKING FOCUS?!!_** ”

 

 

***

 

 

Despite the huge-red mark on his cheek that was shaped like a coin, nobody can really erase the smug little grin on Tom’s face. He walked with his hands behind his back, calm and grinning to himself even if he was currently walking down the nineteenth floor with a rowdy and tipsy old Scot who was red in the face and was flailing like a madman.

However, the taller and bigger man who may have had more glasses of Bacardi and Tequila than the rest of their party didn’t seem to make up his mind about his emotions.

“You officious British Hound,” he growled in that obvious Scottish accent. “How could you fucking cheat?!!”

The other man with the floofy golden hair that was slowly growing out of proportion compared to what everyone was used to just smirked and made a face, trying to ignore the fact that his male buddy was reeking with alcohol.

“And this is how you thank me for literally handing you over that room –“

Frederick rolled his eyes, pausing in his steps for a while.

“Hush Tommy,” he exclaimed, trying to hide a hiccup. “I won it fair and square –“

His friend snorted, making a face as they turned around a corner a few rooms after they stepped out of the lift.

“Yes, before _someone_ had to point out that you actually got _Heads_ when you were too drunk to notice that the coin was face up.”

The Scot laughed in a booming voice, completely oblivious to the fact that they already had neighbors at this point, and the sound of his guffawing may probably wake up several guests considering it was almost two in the morning.

“Well it was a good game,” Fred exclaimed with a not-so-subtle _hic_ , as he clapped his almost-equally giant friend on the shoulder. But with the unmeasured slap and the heaviness of his hand, Tom wasn’t able to hide the way his eyes widened considering the weight his friend put on his shoulder. Raising an eyebrow, the Brit stepped in front of the room with double doors that read 19AS. “But it was far too easy…”

Tom found himself blinking albeit a bit cluelessly at the Scot who was starting to wobble at his feet with his hand on one of the doors to his coveted suite.

“I don’t get what you mean, Freddie,” the blond began to mutter, trying not to let a small smile slip through his mouth.

The Scot stifled a laugh, swaying at his feet, causing his best friend to become more alert in case he falls sideways. “You don’t – _hic_ – usually give up on a – _hic_ – game, Thom – _hic_ – as,” Fred mumbled around his hiccups, a sly smile on his lips. “You’re up to something…”

Tom found himself wrinkling his nose, as he looked down, concealing a smile that sprouted on his face. “Must I always be up to something, Freddie?” He asked as-a-matter-of-factly, bringing his head up again to grin brightly at his friend who was red in the face because of alcohol, as he was red in the face for some other reason.

“You don’t –“ The Scot was suddenly overtaken by a series of hiccups. “You don’t usually give up on a challenge…” Fred played with the doorknob a bit, hesitating to open it as he turned to face Thomas again who was rocking on the balls of his feet, waiting for his friend to come around his words. “And you refused to have us book you a room –“

The Scot threw his hand around like some flimsy gesture. “Like a true celebrity –“

Tom rolled his eyes and placed his hands behind his back. “Come on Fred,” he said with a bit of sternness in his voice. “Don’t say that…”

“Where are you going to sleep tonight, Thomas?” Fred said teasingly, with a bit of a slur around his voice considering the influence of alcohol in his brain. “ _Who_ are you going to sleep _with_ tonight, Thomas –“

The man he was talking to quickly raised a finger to his face. “Don’t go there Fred,” Tom said warningly, but still wearing a mischievous smile on his face. “You know I don’t do _that_ anymore. Besides, I’ve got my own bookings. This old man can take care of himself.”

A small giggle escaped the Scot as he placed his hand on the handle of 19AS again. “But you’ve thought of it –“

There was a twinkle in the blond man’s eyes.

“Maybe.”

The brunet let out a loud guffaw as he opened the door to his suite. “I knew it!” Fred exclaimed, pointing a finger at the smug-looking Englishman who refused to wipe off that knowing smile on his face. “I knew it that you haven’t really stopped –“

“Fred…”

Laughing to himself, the Scot already had one foot inside his room as he continued to wag his finger at his best friend’s face. “You’re gonna lose that one chance with that little shrimp if you keep doing thi – _Ooof!_ ”

Suddenly, a pair of female hands shot from within the 19th Floor Aube suit, grabbed Fred by the collar and dragged him in. A mess of dark brown curls and a lustful look on her face peeked out to smile at a surprised-looking Tom, only muttering, “Night Thain!” before slamming the door in his face.

Tom remained standing in front of the closed suite doors, trying to ignore the muffled wanton sounds from within, his face still frozen in some sort of surprise considering Fred’s last words to him.

However, a smile slowly spread across those thin lips as he found himself shrugging to himself, before making his way back to the lift.

 

 

***

 

 

The first thing that greeted Fred’s drunken lips were a rain of hungry kisses as he got slammed against the wall by that small yet powerful brunette who has her hands still wrapped around his collar. Whatever he was initially saying to Tom got lost in this haze of lust he had for his girlfriend, and not to mention the fact that the two of them considered this as some sort of a foreplay to a grand “make up sex” after “fighting” over the Aube Suite. Knowing Fred and Maxine, they have this tendency to start “fights” just so they have a reason to snog and fuck angrily afterwards. Don’t ask me why, but that’s how these two lovebirds roll.

 

“Oh Maxine –“

 

“Mmm…”

 

“M-Max –“

 

“Mmmmmmm…”

 

“Oh God –“

 

Max was in the middle of unbuttoning her boyfriend’s shirt and was about to leave this large wet hickey on his supple skin, when she suddenly disengaged and grabbed the man by his brown hair, angling his face in such a way that his jaw was stuck out in the open.

“What did you find out?!” She hissed in that carnal voice, as if she was playing femdom and Fred was being interrogated.

“M-Max,” he groaned unwillingly, as he managed to untangle the woman’s hold on his hair that made his scalp burn, before hungrily grabbing her by a face, planting a big, wet, sloppy open-mouthed kiss on her lips. “L-Later –“

The woman let out a growl as she pushed him away, causing him to slam against the wall once more. Fred couldn’t help but groan as Max affixed her manicured nails on the man’s collar once more. “ _What did you find out?_ ”

Drunk in foreplay bliss, Fred tried to kiss Max again – but this time the woman placed a grip on his chin and pressed him against the wall. “Frederick,” she hissed under her breath. “ _What did he say?_ ”

It probably took a second or two for the man to stop himself from hurling his mouth against his girl once more, when Max’s words slowly registered in his brain. Realizing that Max doesn’t like to be left hanging, the man groaned impatiently once more and decided to answer her question.

“Is he dating anyone?” Max asked him again before Fred could answer, with her brown eyes filled with urgent curiosity for some good reason.

Fred sighed. “I can’t say, Maxi,” he said exhaustingly, letting his large hand perch against her shoulder as he leaned back against the wall. “He’s hard to read nowadays…”

Max frowned. “It can’t be…”

The man initially shrugged and almost lunged at the woman’s lips again, if not for Maxine’s strong grip and the way she anchored him against the wall with both her elbows.

“It just can’t be –“ The woman said, deep in thought, slowly fading away from the haze of foreplay that she was performing on her lover earlier. “He can’t be _serious_.”

Fred groaned. It was like this. Max is one fierce fire goddess of sex whenever she’s in the mood, but something usually snaps her out in the middle of it – whether it’s a wrong ingredient in her sister’s recipe, a wrong digit added to the accounting list, her forgetting to tell Vega that there’s Bok Choi in the refrigerator, and so on and so forth. Once she has snapped out of her sex haze, Fred would have to pull her back in the zone. But of course, that was his specialty.

However, at this point in time, Max’s curiosity and worry about the supposed non-existent relationship and “legendary” (to the point that its considered a myth among the girls) sexual frustration between their Thain and Aeoren, was too strong to overcome with bondage, spanking, or whatever sexual trick Fred has up his sleeve that night.

“ _He can’t be fucking serious –_ “ Max exclaimed, her eyes darting to her phone on top of the dresser, ignoring the way Fred rolled his eyes as he was pressed against the wall. “He has to be _in love_ with Vega! Have you seen the way he looked at her earlier –“

Fred sighed.

“Maybe,” he muttered. “Maybe not. You know him – Tom’s too vague nowadays… especially after Cornwall.” The man paused and scratched his chin with a free hand. “And Vega’s supposed wedding…”

Max glared at her boyfriend, her eyes flaring like deep embers with a hope that it can sear the message she wishes to impart into his numbskull Scottish brain.

“So you know,” Fred waggles his eyebrows. “Maybe we can get back to –“

Max manages to push his puckered face back against the wall, as at this point, Fred felt like giving up on getting laid that night.

“This is ridiculous, _Tom and Vega_ are being _ridiculous_ –“ She huffed, now removing her hold on her boyfriend who just looked as if he’d be slumped against the wall all night. “Do they think we scheduled this entire _Paris_ trip for nothing? Did my convincing of Vega to go to Paris despite the recalled honeymoon tickets – the begging, the pleading, the bribery of macarons when she gets here – they’re all for _nothing?!_ And I thought this entire plot was for naught when Tom wasn’t even sure of coming –“

Fred groaned. “Max, we really shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of others –“

“Oh shut up, Freddie-fingers,” she shot back with that nickname of his that she only uses in bed. “ _They_ plotted _us two_ to _end up together_ , it’s time that we –“

All of a sudden, Fred moved from his spot on the wall, throwing himself against the girl who was standing cluelessly in the middle of their suit. Pinning her against the bed, Max struggled against him for a few seconds, before he planted one wet lingering kiss against her exposed skin that was peeking out from underneath the hem of her shirt.

“ ** _Not this time, Max,_** ” he growled in that sensual tone, as he looked at her with lust clouding those green eyes.

The girl underneath his body gulped. “But –“

Before she can fully retort, her lips were suddenly parted by that bearded mouth as she was assaulted by his lips and tongue, reminding her to just shut up and follow the rhythm of their bodies, and think about problems that they weren’t supposed to deal with later on.

 

 

***

 

 

You could say that Vega just managed to dress up, grab a brush in attempt to comb her hair, and then collapsed on her hotel bed. What was frustrating was that the Aube Suite had a King-sized bed, and it was too small for the petite girl. But at that moment, instead of thinking of who she could be sharing it with, she just faceplanted on her pillow and passed out, comb still in hand.

She was asleep… till she was jarred back to consciousness by one solitary whirr of her phone.

Quickly raising her head from the pillow and groaning like a zombie, she dropped the said comb beside her and sleepily picked up her phone, holding it close to her near-sighted eyes.

_[MANDRAKE GIRLS NOTIFICATIONS] 3hrs ago_

_Your garden is ready for harvest! Click here!_

_[TWITTER NOTIFICATIONS]_

_30 mins ago_

**@lilyrose:** Waiter goes "Je suis désolé?" I go "Merci beaucoup bagette escargot rendezvouz"

_31 mins ago_

**@mjade:** Shut up Lila you're lowering the IQ of the whole twitter dash

_45 mins ago_

**@mari_mac:** WHERE IS THE COGNAC

_40 mins ago_

**@ppowell:** Darling, put down the bottle and let's go to sleep

 

[ _I LOVE COFFEE NOTIFACTIONS] 5 hrs ago_

_Your coffee beans are about to be spoiled! Click here to save them!_

_Coffee has been sold out. How much did we make this time?_

_Sidedishes have been sold out. How much did we make this time?_

[ _PINTEREST NOTIFICATIONS]_

_4 hrs ago_

_Maria Annelise Guererro repinned one of your pins!_

_6 hrs ago_

_Jennifer Clayburne liked 1 of your pins!_

_7 hrs ago_

_Annika Castillo repinned one of your pins!_

_7 hrs ago_

_Christopher Allan Noble repined one of your pins!_

 

 

One eye open, her chest propped on a pillow, Vega almost scrolled through all of them. It has been one busy night – hell, it has been _one whole busy day_. Half of her brain is already retired for the night, but half was still telling her to stay up to see through her messages for some reason. The poor girl preferred if it would shut up, but that’s when she saw that one notification from her iMessage that explained why she just couldn’t go to sleep _just like that:_

_Goodnight sweet darling girl <3 xoxo – Thain_

 

Vega actually dropped the phone from her bed.

Frantically catching herself and snapping awake, she had to shove it close to her face again finding out that it was sent almost a whole thirty minutes ago. Scratching her head, Vega came across the fact that in another thirty minutes it would already be three am, the girl bit her lip completely regretting the whole advantage of getting her suite earlier than the rest of the girls and eventually abusing that warm bath then eventually falling asleep without even saying goodnight to her so-called “pseudo-secret” boyfriend.

 

_Oh my God, I dozed off! I’m so sorry, Tom. Please have a good night._

Taking a deep breath and hesitating, before shaking her head with a determined look on her face, Vega decided to add:

 

 _I <3 u_. _– Aeo_

 

Throwing her phone to her side, she faceplants herself right onto the pillow she’s lying on; cursing herself through muffled sounds against the fluffy surface the entire time, till the iPhone suddenly vibrated once a whole minute had passed, startling her.

 

_I love you too. And I understand... you must be so exhausted after that flight. If you need me though, I’m just in 20B. Sleep tight, sweetheart. <3 – TH_

 

The girl blinked twice at the phone monitor.

She may have been lacking sleep and almost floating up in the clouds when Monsieur Clemonte brought her up to her room, flanked by a bellhop who carried her bags; but she wasn’t completely wasted compared to what the majority of her group had been as she recognized Tom’s room number. It just happened to be one of the slightly bigger-upgrade rooms just beside _her_ Aube Suite.

The woman felt her heart skip a beat when she realized that the bastard booked the closest room next to the Aube Suite he got her.

Vega didn’t even think twice when she replied.

 

_Wait! - VG_

 

Within another span of two minutes, the girl had jumped out of bed, combed her now-longer hair in a frantic manner, before taking a second glance at herself in the mirror, checking out if her faded _Rurouni Kenshin_ black shirt paired with her thick jogging pants made her look decent enough. But then again she remembered that she was supposed to be asleep and this is just going to be _some night visit_ , so she shrugged it off and zoomed about the room twice with an energy you wouldn’t expect from a girl who was already supposed to be asleep.

Pocketing her phone and her hotel keys, she quickly dashed outside of her room, before quietly looking around and about only to proceed to lock her door with a silent _click!_

Half walking and half running, Vega managed to stop herself and tried to think above the sound of her heart pounding as she paused just in front of RM 20B, which happened to be just a few steps away.

Doing gestures to herself with her hands, quietly and mentally telling herself to calm down; Vega still found herself biting her fingers as she paced at least once or twice in front of the room before stomping her foot and standing still. The mix of anxiety and excitement she felt was akin to getting called to the Principal’s Office and waiting for the announcement if her class won First Prize during the Shakespeare Monologue Declamation back in High School… _but what was going on was a whole different thing_.

This was _Tom_.

And this would be _the first time they would be alone again after Melbourne_.

Vega knew _what else could happen behind closed doors_ , but at this point in time – _why should she even be this nervous?!!_ She should even be _excited beyond belief_ , but of course – this is Vega. Would she ever admit that she was _so excited that her knickers might come off on their own?_

But knowing that night, she might not need to even lift a finger.

After what seemed to be forever to the girl, she finally raised a hand and knocked at the door.

She took a deep breath when she heard footsteps from behind it, before the door suddenly swung open, shining some light from within the room on the perfect smile she had flashed on her face.

However, before she could open her mouth to greet the gracious occupant, two strong powerful arms shot from beyond the frame, affixing themselves on her wrists.

Vega couldn’t even utter a retort of some sort as she was suddenly pulled in the room in one quick movement, with the door to RM 20B slamming shut just right after.


	3. Un Endroit Calme pour Vous et Moi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thain and Aeo spend quality time with each other... while the girls start to speculate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title translates as “A quiet place for you and me”.

There were too few hours left before morning, but two patrons of the Plaza Hotel le Montmarte acted as if they had all the time in the world. After all, when you're in love, and in Paris... there is no such thing as time or schedules. Especially when it comes to making love.

“ _Oh God --”_

“ _Vey --_ ”

“ _I --_ ”

He was sweet, but there was nothing gentle about what he was doing.

Six days of waiting and you know he would not be gentle at all. The stolen kiss at Heathrow and on the top of the Casa de los Stratos were restrained enough. But between four walls, you just know that Tom doesn't have the patience to remain restrained – knowing he has his darling Aeoren all to himself. No prying eyes, no nosy friends, and no buddies who don't believe that you'd ever get the girl in the first place.

No words were exchanged, at least clear ones, ever since the door to Rm 20B had been opened. 

 

Clothes were strewn on the floor – the faded shirt the girl was wearing, lying side by side with the crumpled old jogging pants she hastily put on after having that bath before what supposed to be bedtime. Not far from it was a very familiar black leather jacket that was lying on top of a thinning gray shirt that seemed to be loved over time. A pair of jeans was hanging over the edge of the bed, also hastily removed – but with the way the bed shook again – it messily fell into a heap on the floor, as the mattress continued to shudder in intervals that happened between seconds.

 

Everything was exactly how he fantasized things to be while he was still on the plane and still in the restaurant trying to enjoy his dinner. All he wanted that day (and six days before that) was to have Vega tangled in his arms – screaming his name repeatedly.

 

 

 

“ _Th-Thain --_ ” The poor girl couldn't even properly moan out his name, with the way he managed to smother her mouth with his in every other second when he wasn't whimpering from the pleasure she was giving him.

 

 

 

He couldn't hold back, after seeing the same glint of hunger in her eyes the moment he opened the door.

 

The last time they made love, Vega managed to gain the upper hand, being quite the experimental scientist who wanted to know which buttons would make him lose his mind. But this time, there were no techniques, no styles, no experiments made when he carried her right into bed after stripping her off those comfy night clothes she hurriedly put on. Like lovers quenched with thirst, they just followed the rhythm of their bodies, throwing themselves at each other. After all, with everything that has been said and everything that had been agreed upon, you would be thankful why Tom was less hesitant, and why Vega was less defensive.

 

They didn't know if it was the mood that Paris has set upon them or the cold night air in that romantic city that awakened butterflies in your stomach. Everything seemed to be whimsical and filled with eroticism and it was as if _La Vie en Rose_ was played on violin, even in the deepest confines of the hotel – and a lingering note in their ears.

 

But everything was refreshingly erotic, a beautiful note they have always been meaning to explore... From every single movement, every single touch, to every single breath exchanged in the close proximity of each other...

 

Like the way he managed to pin her down with his naked body, pressing his torso against her smooth skin as he let his physical warmth spread all over her stomach and her chest...

 

The way he managed to tangle those slender fingers into those now-long, luscious locks, pulling her head up at an angle that gave him freedom to smear her swollen lips with open-mouthed kisses, letting his tongue repeatedly taste her so that he would never forget...

 

How he started slow with the way he entered her, causing the poor girl to arch her back and writhe violently against him, letting him know how much she had yearned for this moment with the way she parted her lips and closed her eyes...

 

And how she desperately tangled her hands in his hair, filling every space between her fingers with those blonde curls. She threaded and moved her hands through the length of his locks in tune with how he pistoned and pumped his girth within her shuddering walls. He then ruthlessly muffled her desperate high-pitched moans with his mouth and playful tongue...

 

Tom dared to remove his lips from the girl, just so he can hear her whimper and gasp as he continued his quickened pace of hammering her into the mattress. He wanted their bodies to mold with each other so badly that this simple act of erotic passion was not enough to satisfy his hunger pains – pains he had been trying to repress for years and years on end. He was greatly rewarded with Vega's sweet noises that escaped her lips like a frenzied whimper, a high-pitched moan that plucked at his heartstrings that made his own eyes water with so much emotion and passion upon knowing how much she felt the same at that exact very moment.

 

Despite the rough and ravenous way he took her, having to lift a leg to gain a deeper entrance into her folds, the man managed to perform a completely contrasting act of brushing his nose and nuzzling her face with so much sweetness.

 

And it drove the poor girl completely insane upon finding that he had started to make the same high pitched desperate whimpers that she had been making... creating this beautiful harmony with her own ministrations.

 

Vega dared to open her eyes once she slowly began to get a grip of her own desire, despite the pleasure still repeatedly coursing through her body. After all, her so-called “brother”-turned-lover did not really slow down his pace, and had now littered her head and the air with gasps and moans that could rival even her own. She suddenly had this resolve to open her eyes and see him for herself – see him at the throes of his own passion...

 

And she saw his beautiful angled face etched with so much emotion, despite his eyes still remaining closed.

 

She would say that she was so scared to look at his face in the past. There had been so many times when she would have the curiosity to do so and was often faced with the need to confront him face to face. And most of these moments were delicate ones – ones where in she was so afraid that she would give herself away. Vega found herself so much of a coward back then – when she couldn't admit to herself how much she actually loved him.

 

But now as she dared to gaze upon him, in the throes of his own passion shared with her, Vega realizes how much the man has to offer... and how _powerful_ his emotions were. And to think how long Tom has suffered... she couldn't help but think that this night, his feelings, his emotions, and the pleasure he was receiving... It may never be enough to atone for whatever she had held back from him for those two years when she was walking around with blinders stuck to her face...

 

She didn't know what came over her, but she painstakingly lifted her head and attempted to place a soft, chaste kiss on his lips. And this was fairly difficult with the way he had propped himself against her, with a certain distance from her face, as he had one hand outstretched against the mattress near her head so he can manage to thrust himself with a quickened pace against her throbbing walls. And with the way he managed to make her slide backwards with every heave from his body, it would have been difficult for her to raise her head and deliver this sweet and sincere gesture that once again contrasted the way they were passionately smothering each other.

 

But she knew she had to do it. With the way she watched him gasp and whimper, something in her pushed her to do it.

 

And that was when he opened those beautiful blue eyes and looked at her with so much awe and surprise.

 

The two lovers stared upon each other, without breaking the pattern or the rhythm of their bodies, as Vega slowly realized how far her bravery was taking her... considering she was so afraid to look into those crystal blue eyes in the past. She looked up at him, the man she used to consider her brother, a title she used to hide behind so she could conceal her stupidity of recognizing her true feelings (and his in the process); a man who had to endure so much pain just so he can achieve happiness... And yet despite her own stupidity, he still managed to take her back under his wing and call her his own.

 

Slowly Vega found herself shrinking, wondering if her apologies and her promises were enough to keep Tom by her side, despite that outburst of emotions and the plethora of passion they were sharing at that very moment... when suddenly the man winced, gasped... and opened his mouth.

 

 

 

"V-Vega..."

 

 

 

He gently lowered himself midthrust, as he pressed his chest against hers, crushing her breasts with his pectorals as he withdrew his hands from her hair so he can caress her face...

 

She felt those blue eyes probing her, seeking her, stripping her bit by bit even though she already was lying naked in his arms... And still she was amazed how he seemed to gaze at her like a love-struck teenager, despite being the sexually deprived beast who devoured her body with every thrust of his hips.

 

 

 

"Y-You're so..." He spoke slowly, licking his lips. " _Beautiful..._ "

 

 

 

The girl's eyes widened as her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red aside from the sexual flush she was already carrying. She felt something within her flutter as she watched this beautiful, heartfelt, handsome smile slowly break upon her roommate's face; comparable to how the sun rises in the east. However, she remained speechless with that heartfelt comment she received from her pseudo-secret lover, unable to find a suitable response that would touch his heart as well...

 

But the least she could do was to raise her hand and gently cup his face...

 

“Tom...” She gently whispered his name as she lovingly watched him lean his cheek into her touch, his eyelids fluttering. “I --”

 

Suddenly, the man gasped, screwing his eyes closed. She was about to ask him what was wrong when he dipped his head and captured her lips in a rough kiss, as his thrusts in between her legs began to escalate.

 

He disengaged in order to give her room to _scream_ , as he answered back with a feral grunt, letting his head fall down to the crook of her neck as he began to pump _harder, faster_ past her quivering folds with his swollen girth throbbing within her insides, threatening to burst –

 

Vega's body arched upwards, crushing her chest against his as she _wailed_ out her ecstasy... Her eyes went wide and blank as she allowed the climax to wash all over her body, from her head to the tips of her toes. By the time her fingertips were tingling, she felt Tom's movements quicken even more before giving her one or two hard thrusts, completely emptying himself within her.

 

For the next few minutes they lay tangled in each other's arms, trying to get over their climaxes, as they listened to each other's shallow breathing.

 

As the weariness of sleep was catching up with her, she suddenly felt the man's face rise from her shoulder (leaving behind a very visible red mark) as he drew her closer in a warm and intimate embrace, pressing his cheek against her temple.

 

" _I..."_ He whispered in between breaths. _"I love you so much..._ "

The girl closed her eyes, as she felt the warmth wash all over her body again. She smoothed her hands on the curves of his shoulder blades, gently bringing them down the arc of his spine, letting them rest near his hips. As much as everyone considered him to be lean, Vega couldn't help but openly admire her new lover's curves.

 

" _I..._ " She murmured as she turned her lips closer to his ear, letting them brush his earlobe, earning her a gentle shiver. " _I love you more..._ "

 

Tom felt like hugging her so tight that he was afraid afterwards that he might have crushed her in the process. But he couldn't find a way to express how much she was making him so happy at that moment – to repeatedly hear those words he always wanted her to say, and to receive the love he had always been yearning from her ever since he found her standing right in front of him... He was flooded with so much joy and love that he couldn't help but draw her closer, despite knowing how weary his girl would have been, lacking sleep and everything...

 

Whispering in her ear, he said those words that immediately quickly shook her awake...

 

“ _I loved you first..._ ”

 

Vega wasn't so sure, but the moment she opened her eyes, she felt tears fill up her vision. She was surprised with what he had to whisper, and as he nuzzled the side of her face and sunk his nose against the crook of her neck (a space that Tom would eventually claim as his as they would lie together); she couldn't help but notice the smile that was evident in his voice.

He wasn't wrong.

And yet, it sounded so... so beautiful.

 

The girl closed her eyes as the realization set in, with his warmth spreading not just all over her body – but in her heart as well.

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

For some reason, the smell of freshly baked bread woke Vega up.

Slowly blinking, the first thing she noticed as her eyes slowly came into focus was the beautiful white lace curtains billowing during that quiet morning. She found herself blinking twice or thrice as she stayed motionless on the bed, her body too sore to move. 

She was close to silently scolding herself to get more sleep, get more rest, and to go to bed earlier at least that night... when she remembered how her day concluded.

Vega could only take a deep breath when she felt her face gently rise and fall to someone's breathing, with a soft faint heartbeat thudding against her right ear. Realizing how things where, she found herself nuzzling her cheek against the bare skin her face was pressed against, as she looked up to find her "so-called then-brother" still fast asleep underneath her... with contentment written clearly on his face.

 

Once more, Vega found herself brave enough to study the man's face. Placing both of her hands flat against the middle of his chest and leaning her chin against her knuckles, Vega realized that she wouldn't have dared to do this before – at least three months in the past. Do what, you'd ask? To just simply and blatantly ogle the man's face as he sleeps. In fact, she wouldn't dare stare or gaze at him even at random times or else she would have gotten a knowing sarcastic comment from the girls or worse... have him find out her secret.

 

But the girl couldn't help but smile to herself realizing how much things have changed. Vega felt as if all the bashfulness and that “angry nagging voice in her head” (that would often scold her whenever she would have fond thoughts of her “so-called-brother”) just simply melted away, and all she could hear was this soft and gentle voice asking her to continue whatever she was doing... After all, who wouldn't dare NOT to ogle such a beautiful man in the first place?

She let her mind wander as she silently watched him sleep with one hand behind his head and another wrapped around her supposedly sleeping figure. But what pushed Vega to continue studying him was her discovery and newfound fascination of those tiny brown freckles that were splattered all over his body.

Amazed at this discovery, Vega realized that these beautiful marks were barely visible during photoshoots. Or maybe she didn't pay that much attention to those pictures of him that she reviewed for work, out of personal reasons... or the obvious one wherein she's afraid she might melt on the spot if she inspected that handsome chiseled face for more than a minute.

Humming quietly to herself, Vega dreamt about making constellations with her fingers by playing connect-the-dots on those freckles on his chest, when she felt the man sigh... Causing her to look up and blush upon seeing a smile slowly spreading on that beautiful face, despite those eyelids still remaining closed.

"Don't stare too hard, baby girl," Tom spoke in such a deep baritone, causing something within Vega (particularly in between her legs) to tremble. "You're gonna make me blush."

Blinking twice, as she propped herself up to stare at him, checking if he's really awake... the girl had to hold in a gasp as he slowly opened those blue eyes, making her realize that he might have been awake all along.

She opened her mouth, about to utter something to defend herself... but then Vega fell mute when she saw his smile reach from ear to ear.

That's when she found out that she was blushing instead.

Suddenly conscious and somewhat defeated, Vega buried her face on his chest, her hair pooling around her head, covering his skin. Tom had to stay still and not lose himself as he watched her move her head from side to side while making these adorable childish sounds of a little girl who got caught, causing his body to stiffen upon realizing how cute Vega was being.

_So cute enough to be fucked again_ , he thought as he bit his lip.

"What's wrong, darling?" he whispered sweetly as he allowed his hand to rise from her back and tangle gently in her hair, threading those long digits in her tresses.

 

"Nothing," a muffled voice echoed underneath that long black hair, the vibrations from her mouth humming against his skin. To his surprise, she suddenly emerged from her little morning shell, wearing the sweetest smile that could rival the heat of the sun.

 

"Good morning," Vega whispered softly as she moved up to align her face with his, before gently leaning down and bravely capturing his lips with hers. This simple yet smooth act from the woman caused a very visible shiver to wash through the man's body, and she couldn't help but bite her lip the moment she disengaged from his lips, as she found his face etched with pleasure and eyebrows furrowed upon receiving the kiss.

"It is such a pleasant morning, darling girl," he hummed as those eyelids flitted open, with the man giving her a hungry look as she flattened her chest against his abdomen again, resting her chin on his pectorals, boldly watching his angled face. "Especially if I'm being woken up by you."

 

Vega felt like blushing as she sank back to lean against his warm body, scrunching her nose as she redirected her gaze somewhere else, suddenly becoming bashful with the way he addressed her, the sweet nothings he uttered in that morning voice, and the fond way he gazed at her. It was too much at six o' clock in the morning.

 

But she wasn't surprised when he raised his head again and captured her lips with another snog, snaking his hands behind her head as he pulled her head back down against his. Moaning into his mouth, Vega couldn't help but emit a soft sigh when he disengaged, burying her face in the spot where the slender column of his neck met his broad shoulder, trying to hide the way she blushed.

 

Tom couldn't help but smile to himself either as he held her close and sleepily stared at the ceiling. _We’re making good progress_ , he thought to himself. He knew that the insistently shy Vega would slowly take baby steps into openly expressing her feelings, and there would be times when she would bashfully sink into her shell like how she did so when he complimented her in such a sweet way that would sent the ants scurrying towards them. But the fact that she wouldn't turn red with anger, push him away, or physically maim him for doing so _is considered progress_ for Tom.

 

_And the way she openly blushes around me is so cute_ , he thought to himself as he bit his lip, closing his eyes as he ran his fingers through her long black hair.

 

They lied there, entangled in this sleepy yet intimate embrace for several minutes, till he felt the girl brush her nose and her lips against his clavicles before moving to prop her head on the pillow he was leaning on. He turned his head to face her, realizing how she seemed to be wide awake as well, curiously staring at him as if she wished to tell him something...

 

“Hey,” the way she whispered against his cheek made his eyelids flutter. “Thanks for getting me that room...”

 

There was something about the way Tom looked at her. Half of it was pure adoration that she does not have to imagine. The way his eyes sparkled as he gazed at her, and the way he angled his head that those fluffy gold curls were pressed down by the pillow almost made Vega giggle... But then again there was another emotion etched on his face, and she seemed to recognize it as something of surprise.

 

“Of course Aeo,” he whispered as he ran a hand on her bare shoulder, subtly glancing at those breasts still pressed against half of his chest. “You know I'd only get you the best...”

 

A smile was on Vega's face as she leaned back down near his shoulder, enjoying the way she could feel him breathe against her skin. “Aube suite...” she whispered, letting her fingers run against his biceps as she spoke. “Clear view of the eiffel...”

 

Tom bit his lip. “I know it’s your first time in Paris, darling,” he whispered in her hair. “And the way you looked at the Eiffel yesterday...”

 

Frowning a bit, Vega tilted her head so she can stare up at her now-pseudo brother.

 

“We could have shared a room...” The sound of uncertainty in her voice was evident, despite remaining in the same loving position of being entangled in her “brother's” arms. However, it was Tom that straightened up upon hearing her melancholic tone, looking down at his precious girl with furrowed eyebrows. “Don't you want to share a room?”

 

The man closed his eyes, a bit surprised with her response. He had everything planned and calculated, and he made sure that she'd get only the best experience while she was with him in that beautiful city. Of course, there were the friends who were so much fun to be with – but were as rowdy and crazy as hell. Not to mention a couple who were close with them both who couldn't seem to get a hint of what seemed to be happening between the “clandestine” lovebirds and were busy worrying about mistakes that happened in the past – And there was one other thing that Tom was worried about.

 

“Are...” Vega whispered softly now as she propped herself up, leaning on her elbows as she sat beside the man, getting a better view of his perturbed face. “Are we hiding, _Thain?_ ”

 

The words flew out of his mouth even before he could think about it.

 

“No no no,” he expressed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he gently held her head against his bare chest. “Of course not, sweetie --” he continued, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Why would I want to hide? After everything...”

 

His voice was suddenly lost in the pause and the silence, as Vega found herself curiously turning her head upwards to look at him, only to find a question lingering in those deep, blue eyes.

 

“Unless you want to, Vega.”

 

She was glad that she buried her face in his chest again, coming in contact with those very few chest hairs, as this helped her hide the tiny smile that appeared on her lips the moment she heard him speak. As much as he was always the first to rush into things and wore his heart on his sleeve most of the time; she couldn't help but give Tom the credit he deserves for completely understanding the way she thinks and her sensitivity to the new game at hand. But the thing is, despite being shy and bashful about their newly formed relationship, Vega wasn't as flighty and unsure as she was before... and she was ready to give him the satisfaction of openly expressing their love, even if it was dragged out openly before everyone else's eyes.

 

“You did say that keeping things _clandestine_ was something that thrills you,” Vega whispered against his skin, causing the man to sigh into her hair. She was referring to that short discussion they had in Heathrow, after they shared a quick liplock, before they boarded on the plane.

 

Tom chuckled. “Of course, darling,” he uttered, now stroking the space between her shoulder blades. “I do love it when you're _my little secret..._ ”

 

With that statement, Vega couldn't help but look up, giving him a view of how she luciously bit her lower lip. She noticed how his pupils dilated, and all of a sudden, she felt his hands slide down to the small of her back as he pulled her close and trapped her mouth in another kiss.

 

Pulling away for air, Vega found herself now lying on her back, with her sort-of-roommate now hovering over her body, pupils still wide as he contemplated whether he should steal another smack on the lips.

 

“You've always been my little secret,” Tom whispered as his gaze dropped, a bit of sadness seemingly appearing on his face. Touching his cheek, subtly worrying about that melancholic tone that appeared in his expression, the girl found a smile spreading upon his lips again, as he lovingly looked down at the girl he had always been pining for.

 

“But you don't really have to keep it anymore...” she whispered back as she bit her lip again, causing him to ache for another kiss.

 

Tom let out a chuckle as he let his gaze wander. “Imagine it when the girls find out...”

 

Vega looked up at the ceiling as she slid her hand from the man's cheek and onto his broad shoulder. “Max is going to freak,” she exclaimed in such a childish manner, as she turned to look at Tom who was nodding gaily at her, before letting loose a small chuckle.

 

“And I'll never hear the end of it from Fred,” he added as he drew back the hair from her face, tracing her cheeks and her nose with one finger. “It'll be a riot.”

 

The girl smiled as she tried to imagine the ruckus, the girls just losing it when they probably catch them kissing in a dark corner, or appearing in the Hotel's Mess Hall with their hands linked with one another. Lis will probably start screaming, and Mari would order all the wine in the bar for a toast to a wedding that hasn't been planned yet. Just the thought of it made Vega blush again.

 

Sighing, she turned to look at her secret boyfriend once more, only to find him seemingly studying her face, those blue eyes probing her, seemingly wondering what she was thinking about.

 

“But for the meantime,” Vega exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Let's keep on doing what we're used to doing...”

 

“And that is...?” Tom inquired, raising an eyebrow.

 

A small bashful smile appeared on the girl's face as she redirected her vision on the freckles on the man's shoulder, as she was seemingly burned with the loving way he looked into her eyes. “Stealing kisses in the dark,” she whispered softly to him.

 

Tom seemed to have purred, hearing her say that. “Making love after hours,” he added as he leaned down to nuzzle her cheek with his nose, causing a small chuckle to erupt from within her. “Locking the doors and pushing you up against the wall...”

 

Vega found herself gasping as she felt something warm and hard brush against her thigh, as she looked up to find this streak of hunger burning in the man's eyes, making her realize that they aren't due for the City Tour till three hours later, and they could spend more time in bed... And Tom was seemingly becoming frisky again. Not that she disagreed with this...

 

Sighing, pretending she didn't notice how he parted her legs underneath the covers with his knee, Vega gently ran her nails on the surface of his back. “Let them figure us out on their own,” she whispered to him, her breath touching his lips with how close his face was to hers. “They're bound to find out soon anyways.”

 

The man grinned. “And is that alright with you?”

 

Raising an eyebrow and making a face, Vega muttered, “Of course it is... As long as _I'm with you_ , then _everything_ is alright with me.”

 

Chuckling gaily as he moved his body against hers, Tom nudged her nose with his once more, earning him a little giggle. “Well then,” he started, drawing circles around her clavicles. “If my Mercenary Sister wishes it...” He watched with glee as Vega's pupils dilated, as she clearly recognized the line. “Then I must comply.”

 

The girl bit her lip. “I thought you don't want to be my _brother_ anymore?”

 

“Well,” Tom whispered in his morning voice, causing something to burn within the woman. “I prefer if I wasn't... and we are only _siblings_ by role and title...”

 

He bit his own lower lip, wishing he was biting hers. Vega then dared to look up at him and had to gasp, finding how his eyes darkened with a shade that burned with lust. “But of course if you want to play the role _,”_ he said before _growling_. “Who am I to say no?”

 

Vega felt her breath hitch as the man slipped his hand underneath her back, flipping her on her stomach with one swift movement. The girl suddenly found her hands gripping the pillows as she felt him press his body in between her legs, leaving gusts of breath on her bare back.

 

“But now,” he whispered gruffly in her ear. “To business – morning pleasures.”

 

The girl found her hands flying to the duvets, releasing the pillows as she felt his throbbing girth preparing to enter her from behind.

 

“Oh my God,” she cried out, hiding a smile as she once again bit her lip, only to gasp as she felt herself being _filled up_. “ _Thain!_ ”

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

There were only three women present in the luxurious Mess Hall of the Plaza le Montmarte by the time the wide-variety Continental Breakfast was served. However, between the two women who seemed to be groaning over their headaches, a brown-haired girl with a neat-looking plaid sat on her table, quietly nibbling on her bacon.

 

However, Alexa's peace and quiet was suddenly shattered when someone equally wasted flopped right on the seat across her, looking peculiarly at the two other girls, a redhead and a brunette, who were barely awake.

 

Wide-eyed and bothered, the brunette who was now considered to be the youngest in the group curiously eyed a huffing Mari who ran her fork impatiently through her eggs. “Mari --” she started, a bit cautious on calling them by their first names ever since Max reprimanded her and her twin brother for calling them with the prefix “Miss”, reminding them that they were technically _family_. “What's the matter?”

 

Marianne was about to open her mouth when the redhead just adjacent to her seat snorted in her direction. “Mari,” Lila said in her deep morning voice, also serving as a warning. “Whatever it is that's bothering you, you better leave it.”

 

Now turning to the redhead, Alexa didn't realize that even Lis woke up from her own stupor, realizing that something seems to be up.

 

The married brunette huffed again, crossing her legs under the table as she placed her fork down. “I really can't stay silent anymore, Lil --” she hissed under her breath, clearly looking perturbed. “I've been silent for six months or maybe more --”

 

Lila sat up wearily on her chair, scratching her head, slightly messing her hair. “We already discussed this,” she grunted. “And we just did – _earlier_. We can't get involved.”

 

This time, it was Lis that dropped her jaw as Alexa curiously chewed on the end of another sausage link.

 

“Guys,” Mari started as she looked up to find Sam and Alexis joining them on the table, with their plates filled with their breakfast choices. “You do know that Lila and I have our room booked on the same floor as Tom's --”

 

“Mari --” the redhead said warningly.

 

Ignoring her best friend, Mari slapped Lila's hand away and continued. “And this morning, right before we went down for breakfast, Lila and I decided to knock on his door to invite him to come with us... considering that he might be all alone and we all haven't had proper contact with him since Vega's supposed wedding --”

 

Lila groaned.

 

“--and we're just worried that he didn't look too well when he turned up at Heathrow, considering that you know who turned...” the brunette had to pause and look at her best friend who was giving her the eye. “Anyway,” she said, waving a hand in Lila's face again in an attempt to remove the ugly look on her face. “We were barely at his door and we heard --”

 

That was when Lila almost bounded out of her seat muttering, “God I don't even want to hear this. We weren't even supposed to try and knock on Tom's door! If it wasn't for Mari here --”

 

“I was just being a good friend, okay?” Mari suddenly piped up, completely forgetting what was she supposed to say, ignoring the way her four other friends who were left hanging, ignoring their breakfasts, waiting for her to finish her story. “I wasn't really snooping and we're all just looking out for Tom's wellbeing --”

 

“Mari,” the redhead said sternly, raising a finger. “You're married.”

 

A look of shock appeared on the taller brunette's face as she clutched at her chest. “And _I am!_ And I love Peter! There's no way I'd --” She covered her mouth, looking offended. “ _I wouldn't dare go after Tom!_ You know this! You know I'd rather than he end up with --”

 

It was Lis who had to stand up this time, silencing the warring buddies. The way she opened her mouth and raised a finger reflected the reaction on the other three silent friends who were waiting for Lila and Mari to calm down.

 

“Guys,” Lis said, looking shocked. “Set aside the commentary – but what the hell did you hear in Tom's room?”

 

For a moment, the two didn't reply. But the way Mari's face turned red somewhat gave everything away.

 

“Sex sounds,” Lila muttered under her breath, looking pale in contrast to her friend. “Groans, grunts...” The way Lis covered her mouth and looked back to see Alexa almost drop her sausage link was enough of a reaction. Sam and Alexis exchanged glances but said nothing... considering that they do understand what usually happens between closed doors.

 

“And a girl's moaning voice...” Mari added, with some sort of darkness showing in her eyes.

 

The three girls sat down slowly and quietly, no longer harking at each other, but staring into space. Sam was the one to cover her mouth this time, and the glaring look of disappointment was evident on all their faces.

 

Lis turned to Mari. “Do you think --”

 

It was Lila who shook her head. “No,” she spoke quietly as she began to thread her fork through her pasta. “We know that _she_ was given a separate suite --”

 

Mari sighed and said, “And there is no way in hell that girl would be with him. She has an Aube suite and is tired as fuck from that 15-hour flight to even jump rooms --”

 

“Hey --” Lila suddenly slapped Mari on the shoulder. “Are we forgetting the fact that our Resident Denial Queen would ever own up to the fact that she cried her eyes out when Tom proposed to his now ex-girlfriend --”

 

The married brunette made an angry face and pointed a finger at her redheaded best friend. “You did not hear that from me! I thought that was a secret --”

 

“ _Everyone knows!_ ” Lila howled, trying to sound as quiet as other guests seemed to have looked in their direction. “ _Everyone fucking knows that maybe_ \--” She made a little cocky head gesture. “ _Hard-headed Miss Vega hasn't blown out her almost melted-down candle for Tom!_ Well, for sure she ain't going to admit it even if she went through hell just to stop a wedding --”

 

Lis had to raise a hand again to hush the grumpy Lila with the hangover and the fidgety Mari who seems to be too invested with the issue at hand. “Can we return to the topic --” she exclaimed causing Alexa, Sam, and Alexis who were listening, to nod. Mari and Lila just exchanged sighs and looked at their friend.

 

“If Vega had her own room and was knocked out in it --” Lis then turned to the redhead and went, “Then who was _with_ Tom in his room?”

 

Mari and Lila exchanged grave looks when suddenly a distinctive _ehehehehe_ echoed at the entrance of the Hotel's in-house Restaurant, as they turned about and saw the subject of their discussion, walking side by side with his handsome Scottish friend, dressed in a somewhat casual tone with a nice white v-necked shirt and a beautiful black trench-style coat.

 

“ _That's_ the question,” Lila said with a smirk as they watched the two boys, followed by their usually perky Latina friend (who was currently acting like the living dead), approach the buffet, giving the chefs a smile.

 

By the time Tom, Fred, and Max have arrived in the large table half of the team have occupied; most of the girls ate in silence as if nothing was being discussed at all, except for Sam and Alexis who were gaily chatting and subtly exchanging sweet nothings as they let each other sample some food off each other's dishes.

 

“ _Bonjour mes demoiselles!_ ”

 

It was Fred who greeted them, much to the girls' surprise, considering its Tom who always boasts about his knowledge and mastery of other languages. They forgot how Fred went to Cambridge as well and attempted to overthrow his friend who was “the Prince of the Humanities Department” at that time, only to come second. Well not exactly, as they were in the same league, their professors would say. 

 

“I trust that you guys had a good sleep?” Tom was usually the one with the sunnier disposition, although his voice was low and gruff at the moment, as if he had overused his vocal cords for some _reason_. He and Fred sat a few seats away from Lila, Mari, and the other girls with Alexis; leaving a space on the long table between his Scottish friend and Mari – somewhere Max can sit on.

 

“That's nice of you to think of us, _Thain_ ,” Lis said with a cheery voice, wearing a somewhat sarcastic smile on her face – which Tom wouldn't recognize right away given that Lis often used this expression to taunt and tease her friends. “We slept well, if it weren't for Sam trying to keep me out of her side of the room for some reason --” Lis would have continued if Sam hadn't hit her shoulder and resumed giggling behind a hand with her Mercenary boyfriend turning red beside her.

 

“Mari and I were knocked out right away, thank God and the alcohol,” Lila spoke up after Lis had to rub her arm. “We hope _nothing kept you up all night on your end_ , Thain.”

 

Tom had to a raise an eyebrow at the redhead who avoided his gaze and hid a smile, as he quickly had to turn a questioning look at his male best-friend who somewhat coughed up a snigger – only for Fred to hold his throat, muttering something about the sausages being too spicy for his liking.

 

“Oh don't worry about me Lila,” the blonde thespian remained calm, wondering if he'd give himself away. “I slept well on my own if you --”

 

His words suddenly drifted away when a tiny girl dressed in a white casual dress, a short denim jacket, and blue flats walked into the Hotel Mess hall, looking a bit sleepy albeit the fact that she was newly showered and looking very fresh. Vega wandered to the buffet line, seemingly eyeing the rice section, looking for something that resembled garlic and fried fish.

 

“--were... wondering...”

 

Tom's words have completely drifted off when it took about almost two minutes before his seatmate had to nudge him in the ribs.

 

“Don't stare too hard, you might take _her_ eye out,” Fred tried not to snigger in between his words, not to mention the fact that he's trying to eat some muffins.

 

“I'm not staring,” Tom denied automatically, as he stirred his coffee, suddenly understanding Vega was right – he'll never hear the end of things if _the rest_ of them do figure out what's going on. And what was worse, considering the blank gazes and calculating looks some of the girls were giving him, it seemed to have registered with the man that _they might be thinking otherwise_.

 

Nonetheless, despite his last statement to Fred, he still managed to steal another gaze over to the tiny Asian girl in the white dress, who was picking up a bun and some butter over the buffet line.

 

Sensing this, Fred couldn't help but just shake his head as he quietly combed over his breakfast, raising his head to smile sheepishly at his girlfriend as Max sleepily sat her ass down right beside him.

 

The girls, seeing the commotion however, have decided to take their debate over to a more private space...

 

 

 

_He can't be fucking someone else, have you seen the way he looked at her when she walked in? - MMP_

_I cannot believe you guys made a group chat in iMessage just for this – LG_

_Well there is no way in hell he'd be fucking Vega – it's going to take A CENTURY TO GET THAT VIRGIN TO GIVE IN – LF_

_Not to mention the huge package Thain has – SC_

_SAMANTHA. - LG_

_...have you – uh – have you seen his.. thing? - AsMc_

_Alexis. You're gross. - AaMc_

_I haven't! It's an estimation! - SC_

_So you are looking at his pants – LG_

_As if you didn't watch Splinter Games with me, Lis! We know most British guys are well hung! - SC_

_CAN WE GUYS STOP TALKING ABOUT TOM'S SIZE AND FOCUS AT THE MATTER AT HAND?! FOR FUCK'S SAKE, THIS IS DISGUSTING, HE'S LIKE OUR OLDER BROTHER! - LF_

_Well, if we're going to debate about who he's fucking, you know the topic will eventually land *there*. - MMP_

 

“Well,” Fred whispered over to Tom in mid-bite of his bacon and eggs. “Looks like everyone's competing over Candy Crush again or something...”

 

His friend looked over to the entire group who were furiously tapping on their cellphones, suddenly growing quiet over breakfast. Tom wrinkled his nose and shrugged, returning his focus on his omelette, glad that Lila or Mari aren't shooting him questioning looks after that first query they set upon him that day. “We are a competitive team, Frederick,” Tom muttered around his food. “You know that.”

 

“Point taken,” the Scot replied, noticing how Mari placed down her phone to discuss something mundane with Lila, about buying certain stuff in the Galleries Lafayette.

 

 

 

_You guys better start talking, I think Fred and Tom's starting to notice how we've all grown quiet – LG_

_What the fuck are we gonna talk about?!! - LF_

_How about shopping?!! - LG_

_Well Lila won't shut up about that one when she's drunk – MMP_

_Bitch. - LF_

  


Vega was now hovering sleepily over the table, choosing to sit beside a quiet Alexa who was trying to ignore her beeping phone, as he stirred his morning drink. Giving her young friend a sheepish smile, the girl turned to pick up the napkin when she found herself looking across the table and exchanging glances with a pair of brilliant blue eyes.

 

The way Tom removed the spoon from his mouth was so slow and suggestive that it served as a whole new kind of morning greeting for the woman. She couldn't help but smile considering the way stolen glances have changed between them, especially on a table filled with clueless and perusing friends who seemingly have no idea of what was going on.

 

Alexa quickly raised an eyebrow and offered a smile in mid-bite of bread as Vega turned to grin at her, trying to ignore the fact that her phone has been lighting up and pinging almost non-stop. “How was the first night?” the smaller yet older brunette spoke up, trying to start a conversation between herself and the young woman who had to hide her beeping cellphone.

 

“Lis and I are thinking of getting our own room,” the other girl spoke as she spun her spoon in her soup. “We should have done so in the first place.”

 

Taking a gulp of her coffee, Vega then turned to the girl with a quizzical brow. “Why so?”

 

Leaning close, Alexa whispered to the woman’s ear – “Sam and Alexis.”

 

Without saying another word, Vega just raised her eyebrows in response and both quickly went back to dealing with their breakfasts.

 

On the other side of the table, Max was almost acting like a true French lady with how she chose her breakfast – just a cup of coffee and a tart full of fruits. None of the expanded continental servings the rest were devouring, all she had was a small plate. But poor Max was too sleepy to function well and was about to fall headfirst into her coffee, when all of a sudden she had to jump out of her seat with the way her phone vibrated in her pocket.

 

With her Scottish boyfriend giving her a raised eyebrow before returning to his sausages, Max proceeded to ignore him as she annoyingly looked through her messages.

 

However, whatever she had to read caused her to suddenly sport a shocked look on her face.

 

 

“ ** _WHAT?!!_** ”

 

 

No one had to hush her or call her attention – as all of it were done through text.

 

 

 

_Hush, Maximillian. You’re too noisy and Fred might notice. – LG_

_Why can’t Fred be in this thread?!! You know he’s concerned too! – MG_

_We can’t afford to have Fred blabbing off to Tom for now. – LF_

_Oh hush, he’ll find out eventually if you guys are going to be cryptic around Tom – MG_

_Does he know anything?!! – LG_

_Know what?! You have to be more specific Lis – MG_

_About Thain’s personal life!!! – LF_

_That’s what I’ve been trying to fish out ever since Tom broke up with Bea!!! But no luck!!! – MG_

_And the chance of stupid Veggie-pie at least hitting it off with Thain? – LG_

_NOW THAT’S THE QUESTION. – MG_

_WTF, STILL NO PROGRESS?!! – LG_

_I tried to leave her alone post their matchmaking fracas between me and Fred. But this time, I think she’s been quiet and sulking enough ever since she broke up with her fruit of a fiancé. It’s now or never. – MG_

_MAX! – MMP_

 

Mari was giving Max the side-eye as the redhead beside her just palmed her face. Taking a huge bite of her tart, Max figuratively rubbed the crumbs off her hands to her side before clearing her throat, as the rest of her sisters sat there, waiting anxiously.

 

“Hey Thain,” his other roommate piped up. Tom managed to take a nice bite out of his omelette before turning to give his attention to Max. “Sorry for the sudden intrusion but – I think everyone just wants to know –“

At the side of her eye, Max could see Mari and Lis subtly shaking their heads.

Snorting, Max just blurted out her question. “Are you meeting up with someone here in Paris?”

 

The way Tom cocked his head was so adorable like a puppy – at least with how Vega saw him. However, at that exact moment a small flush appeared on the woman’s cheeks, nobody was able to notice it since all of their attention were focused on what their thespian brother had to say.

 

“On business?” Tom answered curtly.

 

Max’s expression with the dropped jaw was priceless. However, the girl was adamant. “Well you could say that – Ow!” she suddenly had to rub her rib considering the way Mari would have nudged it. “But… otherwise?”

 

The trademarked quizzical brow was directed at the Latina once more. “I don’t get you, Max.”

 

As the other girls shot angry looks at the blunt and crass Latina, Vega couldn’t help but focus at that agitated expression that was forming on Tom’s face. Accidentally dropping her fork on the ground, Vega managed to pick it up – but then she intentionally checked, as she peeked underneath the table linings, if Tom was indeed _directly seated across her_. Finding those white vans just positioned a few inches across her feet (considering it was a long table with a very short width); the girl retrieved her fork with a small mischievous smile on her face as she returned to her upright position.

 

Lis managed to take up the mantle of questioning once Mari managed to silence Max down with a look. Vega couldn’t help but hide a little smile considering how the girls seem to be trying to steal a glance in her direction, seemingly trying to find a reaction on her face. However, at that exact moment, Vega was busy thinking of something else, as she quietly removed her foot from her slip-on shoes…

 

“Pardon Max’s bluntness but –“ Lis spoke, trying to illicit a reaction from her thespian friend. But considering the exasperated expressions on her friend’s faces, the girl squinted and threw her hands up in the air. “Fine! I’m gonna be blunt as well! But I think everyone here wants to know –“

 

Completely looking confused now, Tom was thinking about taking another sip from his cup when he almost dropped it on the table. He felt something soft slither up his leg, making him wonder if they somehow let dogs inside of the hotel and one just ran under the table to nuzzle his shin. As Lis was in the middle of struggling with her words, the man quietly peeked under the table… only to find someone’s foot gliding up his leg.

 

He quickly turned his direction up at the adorable petite girl in front of him, licking her spoon. The moment Vega turned to flick those chocolate eyes in his direction, Tom felt his body _stiffen_.

 

“Are you – uh –“ Lis was still trying to get around her words, ignoring the pained looks from Mari and Lila, as well as Max’s face that seemed to ask if she was ill. “Are you seeing someone here in Paris?”

 

Tom almost jumped out of his chair as he tried to tone down the silly smile on his face. It didn’t help how Vega’s foot managed to slide up to his thighs, making him sweat inside his shirt.

 

“Uhm,” the man muttered, scratching his stubble, trying to ignore the heat emanating from between his thighs. “Well if you must know, I have no other business schedules right now. My entire trip is reserved for you girls,” he finished, shooting the brunette who was addressing him a genuine yet cheeky smile. Despite his response, the way Lis tried to subtly exchange looks with the hobbit twins (Mari and Lila) sitting near her somewhat made Tom wonder what all of this was about.

 

Luckily, Mari was willing to answer the question in his head… by asking another question. “What Lis is trying to say is,” the eldest woman in their group exclaimed, straightening her shoulders. “Are you currently seeing _someone_? A _particular_ someone?”

 

_Ah_ , he said in his head as a small smile could be seen on his mouth as he put his fork down and stopped spreading that strawberry jam on his toast. _So this is what it’s all about_.

 

As he prepared to answer, raising his eyebrows, he found that all the girls – and even Fred was waiting with bated breath for his answer. However, among all the faces, the only one with a knowing smile belonged to that beautiful girl with almond shaped eyes right across him, grinning at him as if she was waiting to see whether he’d crack… or not. That’s when Tom felt the foot slide down the inside of his thigh, making him shiver.

 

“I could…” he breathed, never removing his eyes from Vega as he licked the strawberry jam off his thumb. “I could see someone.”

 

Those blue eyes were sparkling as he spoke, as a small firm smile played on his lips. “If they wanted me to.”

 

There was something glinting in his pseudo-sister’s eyes as she parted her lips and almost outright smiled at him. But then again, he found it hard to disconnect eye contact with her so that he could see the palpable tension and the ear-aching din that spread above his other friends who suddenly realized the gravity of his words.

 

He wasn’t surprised when most of them turned to look at the expression that was subtly etched on Vega’s face. Tom wondered if his _little lovely secret_ would be given away.

 

“What can you say about that, sis?”

 

Vega almost retracted her foot from her secret lover’s lap when she heard Max address her, suddenly finding herself sifting through her mashed potatoes, pretending she was as flabbergasted and clueless as the rest of the group. But it didn’t help with that prying look and that mischievous smile that Max was wearing, clearly singling her roommate out for a reaction concerning Tom’s predicament.

 

“Why are you asking me –“ Vega found herself snap defensively as she took in a spoonful of potatoes, unable to hide the way her cheeks blushed.

 

Max leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. “You’re Thain’s right hand, I’m sure everyone wants to hear what you have to say about that.” 

 

The glare Vega gave Max was so powerful, but it wasn’t that potent enough to wipe away the smirk on the other girl’s face. Apparently, all the other girls were wearing something akin to the Latina’s expression too: something that is a cross between curiosity and exasperation. Vega somewhat realized that maybe she and Tom has dragged this fanfare on for too long that the girls were either tired of the games – or worse, _they were about to do something to pin them both together._ And it may be something that may involve super glue, a private room, and lube from Max. It’s hilarious yet it’s horrifying at the same time that she wouldn’t dare look at her pseudo-brother’s face. She knew that if she saw him smiling, she could easily give herself away.

 

Vega just decided to shrug comically and then turn to the blonde right across her only to shoot him a sweet and genuine morning smile.

 

“That seems rather cool, _bro_.”

 

For a second, Tom felt that he was lost in those smiling brown eyes. But then he suddenly felt his entire body heat up when he felt the foot underneath the table suddenly slide up from between his slender legs… only to discover that her toes have found the tip of his cock through the surface of the fabric he was wearing. It didn’t help with how she gently pressed the arc of her sole against the length of his shaft, causing it to somewhat stand erect.

 

Tom suddenly ended up choking on the familiarly sweet taste of the strawberry jam, ending up nipping his lip.

 

“Ow!”

 

Amidst his troubles, the Englishman found the Scot beside him quietly chuckling with glee. Turning to face him, Fred had nothing but a wink to give him as he bit on his toast. “Suits you mate,” he whispered, basking in the obvious glare his friend was shooting him. “You’re slower than a fucking tortoise at this point.”

 

That was when Tom realized that the foot that had been caressing him in between his thighs has now circled his leg, and was gently tickling the back of his shin. Mechanically turning his head to face the owner of that naughty little foot, he found himself giving Vega a look that indicated that he will resume to devour her alive if he ever gets the chance.

 

He wasn’t surprised that the girl just managed to smile at him in between suggestive bites of her sausage.

 

 


End file.
